The TV stand was sturdy and as advertised, except that the distress appears to have been due to the nail holes and damage to the wood used originally. The wood was not distressed after it was constructed. The paint, which was white, seemed like a light primer, not regular paint. I spent a considerable amount of time filling in the "distressed" areas and the joints that had gaps. I then reprimed the piece and painted it in a semi-gloss cream color. I changed the knobs to oiled-brass. I also added some detailing around the drawers and ends. So there was fair amount of work to make it look French country, but the final product looks great!