This is stunning!!!! It is a little darker than the picture but not much and creates more of a contrast between the white stitching and gray background. It's a substantial comforter so you won't need a ton of layers to keep warm. It's very well made and sturdy. We have large dogs that shed a lot and the pattern hides the dog hair really well. Other reviews say the comforter is really short but we have a tall mattress and box spring and this size is exactly what you would expect.