This unit is sturdy enough for what I am using it for. The color is true black (not brown black like some black furniture). It was easy to put together. I assembled this by myself in about 45 minutes. My only complaint is that one of the panels only had one hole, so if I want to attach the 3rd door, I'll have to drill that hole. Not a big deal to me (as it is the center door) the unit still looks great without all 3 doors. Pro-tip: use a drill if you have one. It makes the process so much faster/easier.