This island blends in beautifully with the built-ins in my kitchen. I have lots of white bead board, so this piece looks like it really belongs. It's parked next to my stove, where I used to have no counter space. I added a bamboo cutting board, and now have a handy place for prep work as well as storage on top and below. The lower cabinets are roomy, the drawers useful and the island as a whole has transformed my tiny kitchen for an affordable price. Relatively quick and easy for my boyfriend to assemble. He is a builder, so that helped. I also like the custom quality of the island, being able to pick among many options for size, color and materials.