South Shore Artwork Craft Desk with Storage, Multiple Finishes

This is a nice looking table, and approximately the size of a desk. The opening fits a full-sized chair and if you (like me) can't find things in drawers and would prefer to use cubbies, baskets and slots, this is a nice organizational center for any kind of work. As a craft table it's narrow, but I couldn't find one the size I wanted (54 x 54 at regular chair height with 4 chair spots) for a reasonable price so I decided to go with two of these for a space I crop in (scrapbook) with my mother and daughters. Technically you can fit a chair on each side of this "table" (it still looks more like a desk to me) but you have to be okay with occasional knocked knees. I can't mark the item down for this because it's exactly as described, but I would have liked it wider. Just sayin'. Craft tables often have multiple chairs. Other than that, it's perfect. Made of particle board but there are no nicks or chips and the finishing on this one (compared to the slightly less expensive Crea Craft Table by the same manufacturer) is very nice. That said, I'm not sure I needed it for my purposes. This table got better reviews on Amazon and it's a newer design so I bought it, but the metal handles/knobs and the beadboard doors are the only difference. Otherwise they're pretty much the same, and if I had to pick again I'd probably go without the finishes on this one. That's a personal taste thing for a more open vs. closed finish. So..assembly. It's a heckuva lot, just like those on the South Shore Crea Craft Table explain. 40 pages of directions, and the table weighs more than 100 lbs so getting it into your house, up (or down) the stairs, etc. is work. If you've put together a lot of Ikea furniture (like my husband), this is a better-than-average piece--packed well, visual directions that break down each step, well-labeled parts, a few extra pieces of hardware in case some don't fit. It took him one morning (about 3.5 hours) to put both desks together, 2 for the first and 1.5 for the second. Everything fit right but he needed help holding the doors in place for the screws, and with lifting the table top onto the pegged pieces so again a 2nd person on call is useful. For a piece of furniture with this many pieces and potentials for problems, to have none is a miracle. The Canadian company that makes this does a good job. If you haven't put together furniture like this, YOU CAN DO IT! It will also probably take you all day unless you phone a friend who has to come help. An electric drill is better than an electric screwdriver but either will work. Everything else is pretty much push-and-press plastic dowels and metal screws. For those who like a nice, solid piece of furniture that will last for generations, take multiple coats of stain, and come in one piece, you will obviously not be happy. I have a couple of pieces like that in my bedroom and dining room and love them. But getting a hardwood craft table into my craft room would have cost about $1500 (I saw one in a furniture store) and still needed assembly. This cost me one-third of that and is fine for my purposes. I know from having 8 kids that it will last approximately 10 years of hard use and/or another 2 disassemblies and reassemblies, whichever comes first. As a final FYI, I stood on this to arrange some things on a shelf and it shook a little, back and forth. Not advised. It's sturdy enough as a table/desk, but not a good ladder. Lesson learned ;).