I have gotten so many compliments about this set. The umbrella keeps my kids out of the sun when we're having lunch or doing projects outside in the summer. The blue color has not faded, and while the cushions have gotten dirty from being outside and having normal kid wear-and-tear, they are easy enough to wipe clean. The wood color has faded now that we've had it for a few years, but if you want to keep up with it you could always re-stain as with any wood product.