I purchased this fan as a replacement for a similar fan that was stolen from my apartment. The blades on this fan are not as big as the fan that walked away, but it still moves the air quietly and efficiently. The metal is an attractive bronzy-chocolate as shown in the picture. Tips for putting it together:  1. Spray a small amount of WD-40 on the metal threads before screwing the pole pieces. They will screw together easier and you'll avoid getting metal shavings from the new threading on your floor or in your carpet.  2. Thread the plug and cord through the top pole piece before screwing the two pole pieces together.  The top pole piece is not quite as wide as the bottom making it tricky to get the plug through.  The plug got stuck 3/4 of the way through and I had to pull it through the rest of the way with a pair of needle-nose pliers.  Overall, it's a nice looking fan and it goes well with my living room floor lamp.