This was the most difficult piece I have had to ask my husband to assemble yet. After 3 hours (and a full day's work), he had to give up and pick it up again after work the next day. Then it was only another half-hour. That said, it is a complex piece and is really worth the effort and price. The price would have been much higher had it not been in a flat box and had been purchased in a shop. It is a very nice piece of furniture and goes well with our classic living room style. The "brown" is as depicted on the website and goes with our existing mahogany pieces. The side doors are great for storing DVD's.