I ordered this bed after reading a review of it on a blog. I couldn't decide between the charcoal and gray. As Anthony, the Wayfair customer service rep explained, on a scale of 1 (white) to 10 (black), charcoal is a 8-9 while gray is a 5. I went with gray and it was mid-range black and white., exactly as Anthony described. It was very easy to assemble. I did it myself with a power screwdriver (to note, I am 31yrs old) because I couldn't wait on my husband to get home. All the nails on the trim are separate, they are not a strip. The back of the bed is bare, so you will need to put it against a wall. Also, this bed does require a box spring. Even with my box spring, mattress and mattress pad, there is about a 1 gap from the top of the mattress to the bottom of the headboard HOWEVER with pillows, you can't tell. 
For the price, this bed is a steal. I am very happy with it. My husband was worried that it would be too girly, but it looks really masculine with white bedding.