The lid made cracking noises when I sat on it to put on my shoes (I weigh 160 lbs.).
The upholstery looks good.  It arrived in good shape.  The worst is the smell inside 
the storage area of the bench.  I wanted to store mittens/hats in it but couldn't due
to the very strong chemical smell.  I put a deodorizer in it--still smells 4 mo. later.