This bed is just beautiful! Well made and sturdy, it was easily assembled and looks beautiful with our earth-tone decor. The finish is a warm, deep brown with a slight sheen that gives it a rich look. Can be used with or without a box spring. We have a high end foam mattress and its very comfortable without the use of a box spring, but you may want to add one to increase the height of the mattress on the bed, depending on the look you want. Fast shipment, it arrived packaged well, so that there wasnt so much as a scratch any where! Highly recommend!