We put this together in about an hour and a half.  The headboard is quite a bit high.  I wished it tilted a bit.  That way you can lean up against it.  I suppose you could use a box spring, but you don't need one.  It comes with a whole bunch of little slats.  We have a standard queen mattress, but it still seems too low to the ground.  The footboard and the sides are also covered in this silver/grey color faux leather.  The slats fit across the sides.  Once you get the slats all affixed to the sides, you simply drop the mattress on top of it.  You still have about 4-5 inches under the bed to put stuff under the bed.I am thinking about getting a thicker mattress.  

Pros: Great Value,  Clean lines.
Cons: Can't use a bed skirt.  Too low to the ground.