I purchased this lovely etagere to use in my breakfast nook to store serving pieces and cookbooks. It is very sturdy and looks great in the space. I've left it unfinished at the moment but plan to stain or paint for use in my new home. The wood is smooth and looks like it will be easy to finish. The unit was fairly easy to assemble - it came with detailed instructions, all necessary hardware and a pretty nice allen wrench. My husband and I were able to put the piece together in about an hour with no serious issues. I'm happy with my purchase and think it is a good value compared to a similar piece that I saw at an upscale furniture store.