I was surprised given the price just how soft and (medium) plush this rug is!  It looks almost exactly as the photo, but I would say the markings are not as prominent all throughout the rug - the pattern is a little more subtle the picture shows, but it is still visible.  I was going to put this under a dining room table, but given how nice it is, I put it in the family room.  (The first one delivered had a flaw, but Wayfair assisted immediately to fix the situation.)