The sofa is great for the price. It is not the most comfortable - but hopefully will soften with time. Since each piece is individual, it would not look good from behind, and should ideally be placed against the wall. Also because each piece is individual, if you sit on one of the "cracks" you can especially feel the wood bar/support beneath you. We sprayed the sofa with scotch guard, and the fabric has held up great with our often muddy dog. The gray color is more of a "greige", I would compare it to Sherwin Williams Repose Gray if you need a color reference. For the price, you really can't beat a sofa of this size and quality!