I was torn between 3 and 4 stars because the base of this table is beautiful, it's the perfect size and the texture of the top is great. But the color is nothing like the photos. I was expecting a medium tone wood that let the grain and texture show through. What I got was a chocolate-colored sludge finish that is even darker between the boards and creates a weird striped effect (actually much darker than my photos). I'm on the fence about whether to return it or not because I really like the way it looks from a distance. Maybe the color will grow on me...