I absolutely LOVE this bed! We ordered this bed in gold. Worth every penny. Very sturdy. My husband put the entire bed together in about an hour. I love the bed underneath (use a 6 inch mattress so it'll fit nicely). We purchased an 8 inch mattress for the top. You can probably go thicker, however our daughter is 3 and we wanted something thinner for her for right now. I love that the frame can serve as a bed and/or couch. It's super comfy and chic. We are happy with this purchase.