Baby is not here yet, but the crib looks fantastic in our nursery.  It is true that when the crib is set to the highest height, you see the black metal under the mattress. Some may use a dust ruffle to cover it.  We chose to leave that as is to keep the look streamlined and avoid extra fabric that collects dust. It was very easy to assemble.  We also ordered the matching dresser.  We found the crib to be of better quality than the dresser and much easier to assemble, but we like how they look together as a set.