This bed was much nicer than expected for the price.  The frame is sturdy and well-supported and hasn't budged an inch in the past month.  Next to a light wall, it would probably appear darker, but the color is as pictured.  It is definitely beige--not as light as 'pearl' would imply--and the undertones are more of a neutral than a cream.
It took two of us about an hour and a half to assemble.  Fortunately, we had the right size screw to replace one that was faulty.  We also had a bit of trouble getting the corners to line up just right (I'm picky) at the foot of the bed.  You're given a couple of L-brackets and instructed to reinforce the the padded rails at the top.  This causes the gaping at the lower corners.  We put additional L-brackets at the lower part, and it fixed it perfectly.  Hope this helps!