The shelf is really lovely and I am very happy with it!  I had been looking for a shelf for quite some time and couldn't find anything I liked until I saw this one..  I love the "old world" look.  However, my husband felt it should be reinforced to hang safely, and he did a nice job with an extra piece of wood and long screws that are hidden underneath to attach it to the wall.  The description indicates it weighs 8 lbs., but actually it is closer to 12.