My two boxes came a day apart, but otherwise everything was exactly as I expected. The bed was extremely easy to put together by myself. I bought a queen size which only comes with 3 support beams. I read a lot of complaints but that's actually standard and I t's very sturdy. This frame was designed to be used with a box spring. If you just throw your mattress on it of course it will sink. If you get a bunky board you should be able to go without a box spring. The gray is lighter than the pictures online, but I read the reviews and saw actual pictures so the gray is exactly what I was hoping for. This is a beautiful bed frame, especially for the price. I'm using it with my Sleep Number C2 and bed base (frame not compatible with the adjustable base).