This rug looks quite a bit more like a giant barcode in real life. In the photos the black looks a little more muted or faded but in reality it is a true, deep, solid black. I still love the look but giving it 4 stars because of the difference. Also this is a VERY thin rug, which I knew from the description, but I think that made it harder to straighten out as it took much longer to flatten out than other rugs I have had in the past.