My wife and I were looking for a media cabinet to put under a wall-mounted TV in our modestly sized living room. We were after something a bit country and not modern or very formal. It had to be reasonably shallow, middle height, and wider than our TV. Width was the easiest dimention -- there are units of every width. But getting a unit that is in the 30s for height, but less than 20" deep is tricky, and this one was perfect. But more than that, this was the only unit we found with such an attractive design -- enough room for components, turned-style legs, and we are happy to put baskets on the bottom shelf. So the practical features were adequate, and the style is wonderful.The bottom shelf is low enough to maximize it's storage space, but is also high enough off the ground that a power strip and plugs can fit under it. And it's low enough to keep our 6 month old AWAY from those cords lol!I'm very happy with the construction. The drawers are solid wood with dovetail joints -- not craftsman quality, but well done and very solid. I'm glad the bottoms didn't end up being particle board like is the case on many such units. Assembly was easy -- attach legs, attach bottom shelf, done. A little hefty for one person, but I was able to get it done. Minimal tools required...none actually -- they include the necessary allen wrench. A dolly is nice if you have to work on it alone. Very solid when assembled. One door catches much more firmly than the other -- but both are well within comfortable ranges.The finish is very attractive, and nicer than can be conveyed in photos. The faux distressing in the wood is goofy IMHO, but the distressing of the finish is very nice, quite understated, and just right. Streaks of reddish undercoat peek out on various edges and corners, and in-person, the effect is very attractive.Cable routing holes are in the BOTTOMs of the component sections, which I have mixed emotions about. You can't see them through the doors, which is nice if you don't have media components. But if you DO, then you see the cables routing down, and coming out from under the cabinet. I can always cut my own in the back, so it's not a major "flaw" -- but if I wanted this mainly for display of items, I'd probably be very happy about it.It was very well packed, and everything was in perfect condition. [...]Finally, my wife is very sensitive to chemical smells, and the offgassing of manufactured materials, but this had no negative impacts on her. It smells like wood...which, oddly enough, is rare in a new product these days...In the end, I'm surprised we couldn't find more pieces like this in the sub-$500 range. I'd have LOVED to get this for sub-$400, but nothing exists there. [$] was a stretch for our budged, but when we saw this, we really fell in love with it. And no regrets now that it's in!The only caveat -- it looks bigger in the web pictures than in-person. But the measurements on the site are accurate, so work from those, not from perceptions based on the pictures alone."..." Read more
- JAH in Glenview, IL