I love this desk. It is perfect. The wood is on the yellow side, not so much a light oak. I personally did not mind having the woods being different shades, I only cared about the drawer and hutch space. I built this on my own. It took me about five hours to complete, with no experience with building anything before. The instructions were easy to follow, and it was actually fun to do! I suggest using a drill and not a hand screw. You'll feel accomplished by the end, especially with a beautiful, clean, spacious desk added to your room!