It took months of research before I finally decided on this rug.  It has much more of a gray tone than beige.  The print is subtle and not at all overbearing. I worried that the rug might be too thin per my research but I am happy to report that it is very typical of other rugs I have around the house. I do not have a carpet pad underneath.  There was no smell associated with this rug when I unwrapped it. Some commented on the rug not smoothing out but I found that it did smooth out fairly quickly, typical of other rugs that I bought that were rolled. The price was great compared with other animal print rugs that I looked at on line.  I did try to find this print at local furniture and home good stores with no luck.  This was my first purchase from Wayfair and I am pleasantly surprised at the quality and the service.  I will definitely purchase from them again.