I thought the item was white. It's natural wood and needs to be primed and painted. The directions are incomplete! I'm looking online for instructions as to where and how to attached the chains. The hardware seems to incomplete. I see no safe way to attach the chains without additional pieces. Otherwise it will rip the side arms off and you'll fall to the ground! If I wasn't in such a need for this swing I would return it ASAP! Disappointed, even for the money :-(