Very nice piece, well made and wasn't too hard to put together. It took 2 of us about an hour I think. It might have been faster with a drill or 2 good screwdrivers to work, but still not bad all by hand. It looks great and is very sturdy. There really was no odors or anything on opening. Lots of good packing material to make a mess with, but arrived in perfect condition. It doesn't show on the pictures much but there is a tiny bit of distressing on the paint, but it isn't even very noticeable, which was good since I like my furniture to look new!