After reading many of the high end and low end reviews, I have to say, I'm in the high end review category.  People should know when buying items made out of "natural" materials, they are not "consistent" like man-made materials, and they are going to be rustic, uneven, not "perfect" in color or shape, therefore, I was expecting exactly what I got and am VERY satisfied with my storage trunk.  The color is EXACTLY like the pic, and anyone who has never put something together by themselves, might be frustrated, however, I found this quite easy to put together.  The instructions were very clear, and my end result is quite satisfactory for my needs. No, this material is NOT for people with small children or pets who like to jump up on or scratch at the furniture. It's a decorative and useful piece of furniture, but not to be manhandled.  I couldn't be happier with the end results.