We opted for the black because it was less expensive than the white, and I'm glad we did!  The black looks very elegant in our entryway.  It took about 1/2 hour to put together and extra bolts were included as well as an alin wrench. It is very sturdy.  An excellent buy. It is a great catch all for coats, hats and the bench can also serve as a shelf when you have a lot of guests with purses and bags.  Keeps all visitors belongings in one place.