Seems darker than the picture. Nice bed. So far seems sturdy, no noises when getting in or out of the bed. There is some space btwn the mattress and the frame and you can see the boards. I guess it's made to fit the max big mattress.  It's ok...its easier to tuck in blankets and all beds have this spacing. Took hubby and I 2 hours to put together. Instructions were easy to understand. No tools required! They provide all that u need to tighten everything up. Beautiful bed.