I ordered a pair of these Benches as emergency seating for Thanksgiving last year and they have ended up being one of my favorite purchases from Wayfair. They are extremely sturdy and quite heavy, not flimsy at all! I chose to paint mine whimsically, but they would be gorgeous with a simple oak or cherry stain (they come bare wood). I use them everyday at my farmhouse-style dining room table and they have never needed adjustment or tightening. This would be a great purchase for an entry-way as well; one could store probably four pairs of adult size shoes on the shelf under the seat.