This is a great piece. It was very easy to put together. The metal is more brown than black and the wood is a textured vinyl over MDF. It is not the most sturdy, the top is heavy and slants. It feels like a nudge will tip it over, so we did secure it to the wall. A little more top support would have made this perfect. It has so many hooks I will never run out, and the bench and shelf space is great for all my stuff (and my husbands!). Overall it really adds character and function to my entryway.