The end table comes in a flat box that takes about 10 minutes to put together. The stain on the table is a very dark brown you can only see the grain in a few spots. It's a very solid and sturdy table made of planks of wood glued together. The finish is made to appear rustic. I really love the simple look I was looking for a  very plain end table to go with my coffee table. I'm very happy with the qualitiy of the table and would recommend it.