The bench is better than I expected it to be. Its beautifully crafted, very sturdy. No foul smell, no damage during transport. And I was pleasantly surprised to see that its nicely polished on the inside too. But the most important aspect of the bench I felt was, the lid. It opensstays at exactly the position I keep it at. So I am not ever in the fear that after opening it, the lid might just fall on me. Its a beautiful and a very useful addition to our bedroom.