The lighter stripes are actually more cream than taupe which I was very happy with. The chair has a mild satin sheen to it which makes it seem a little fancier ^_^. The brown zig-zags actually have tiny cream lines etching through them which makes it look even cooler. my husband and I both agree that it is very comfortable. We're using it in our nursery which is somewhat small and it doesn't take up a lot of room. Very happy with this product!