Very sturdy.  Definitely looks more expensive than what we paid.  The lampshade is a sandy taupe fabric, which looks good with neutral decor.  Only issue we have is that with the light turned on, the seams of the lampshade and the lamp construction within the lampshade are very noticeable, showing as stark shadows on the lampshade. We finagled with it to try move the hardware and the seams to less visible sides. Would have been better if it was a two-bulb lamp for more brightness.  But still, for the money, it's a sturdy, good quality lamp.