I was worried about this purchase because it is "unusual" in a funky kind of way and if it had looked rickety in person then it would not have worked in my husbands game room. The lamp is quite solid and has a heavy base which keeps it securely upright. The upright metal rod is a very dark brown and looks very much like a tree branch. The shade is not fabric but is the plastic & paper type material many shades are made of now.  The light through the shade gives a muted soft warm glow. The lamp gives the room a bit of whimsy, which I very much needed.  BTW it was a snap to put together, I did it myself.