Charming little cabinet arrives flat. Instructions are pictures, not words. The hardware is separately bagged and labeled by letters (other companies could learn from this!) so they are easily matched to the photos. It's a quick construction. It's easier to keep it upside to reach the screws more readily. The color is true to the screen shot. It has the very lightest "wash" of brown over the turquoise, just to dull it a bit. It's not that nibbled, scraped looking "distressed". This is very light. The adjustable shelf is nice. You will have a bit of an odor from the cabinet for a few days. If it bothers you, leave the piece in the garage or a room airing out, and it will go away. This piece was just perfect as the top depth was what I needed for an old fashioned radio/record player. It can nestle in almost any room to add a little storage.