Design is beautiful and sturdy, I would give a 5 star review on those items alone. Fabric & studding is beautiful and in excellent condition. Note that the center of the backrest is not well supported - when seated, the back bulges out. The reason for the 2 star rating is due to the poor quality of the wood. The gray wash is darker in person than in the photos and is very sporadic/inconsistent - despite the "rustic" finish. The wood has several splits & scratches. The most frustrating is the staple that wasn't removed properly and was sticking out at the top frame of the backrest where it would easily snag on clothing and very visible. We had to carefully hammer it in and fill with wood filler and coloured pencils to match the finish. It's still visible. If aesthetics is your only concern, it's the perfect stool. If you are concerned about quality/imperfections, this stool might disappoint.