SEI Furniture Nailhead Storage Trunk End Table, Espresso

This trunk is pretty nice. I am a single guy and I didn't have any problem putting the unit together myself. Overall I am happy with the purchase, very happy! Here is my detailed review below ....1) Wood Finish: The finish is excellent on the sides and the top - the wood has a very nice glow when the light hits it. The wood parts are veneer over press-board. 5 of 5 stars2) Metal Hardware Finish and Durability: I thought the metal finish was particularly nice, Its not just painted with a solid paint, but there is still some reflection of the metal surface when light strikes the hardware. Also, I must say that the hardware is durable and appropriate for this trunk. Hinges are adequate, spring closer are also adequate with enough tension that the top lid does not smash down accidentally. All hardware is well thought out and functional and beautiful. The wood screws did not loose their color or finish when installed with an electric drill/driver at minimum tension. 5 of 5 stars3) Fit: Some of the wood sections are not perfectly fit, but only off enough to see the difference if you look closely. Also some of the pre-drilled holes do not perfectly line up with the hardware, but the screws are wood screws and easily create their own holes. 4 of 5 stars.4) Durability: The unit uses cam screws and wood dowels to stay in place. I used wood glue for the wood dowels and also used the cam screws like directed. The glue will make the unit more durable in the long run. 5 of 5 stars.5) Attractiveness: I must say I was very pleased with the trunk and how attractive it is. Actually, its better looking in person than the photograph. 5 of 5 stars.6) Sturdiness: I have read other reviews that the unit was not as sturdy as they had hoped. Well, found the unit very adequate in that department. However, I do suggest using wood glue when inserting the wood dowels on both ends. When this glue hardens up, and penetrates the wood, the trunk will be very, very sturdy.7) Short Legs: The wood short legs on this unit are good. However, I have noticed that the wood sides don't perfectly match up, this makes the corner legs seem to fit strange when bolting them on with the two bolts provided. I wouldn't over tighten these, as they could split the short legs. I would suggest an electric screw drill or driver set at the LOWEST tension for all hardware installation.8) Color: It is a deep mahogany stain with a very very slight red tone. The stain is deep and the finish is also very deep. The inside color is a rustic brown stain. Its nothing special, but it is dark in color. 4 of 5 stars9) Instructions: I did notice the instructions were not in perfect English, but they were adequate for installation. In fact, there were no serious errors with the functionality of the instructions. 4 of 5 stars10) Ease of Installation: All you really need is a Phillips screwdriver, although they supply an Allen wrench /screwdriver combo. I didn't have any problems putting the unit together myself. I took my time and it took about 45 minutes. Just make sure and follow the instructions to put together the two ends to the one side first, then the bottom piece, then the final side. If you do it out of order you'll have problems. The instructions correctly put this in the right order. 5 of 5 stars11) Other: They do include some nice rubber bumpers for the lid so it closes quietly. The packing was brilliant, and the shipping cardboard was reinforced and adequate.The size of the trunk is smaller than most full size end tables as far as its width and length. The height is standard end table height. I was looking for something to replace my larger end table and create a little more open space in my living room. This unit does the trick. What's also amazing is that I use the trunk space to place my extra non-displayed antiques.Although this is one of the few exceptions, I have to say that overall, buying furniture on Amazon is just silly. By far, most purchases of furniture have been a complete failure. Lessons I have learned: Buying furniture on Amazon is silly

I love this once it was assembled, and could tell even before the assembly I would love it. Great color and hardware features. I would have given it 5 stars except that I spend 1/2 day on the assembly, and I am an experienced Assembler. It was the Instructions provided, the print is cheap and make the illustrations difficult to view. I had to use a magnifying glass to inspect the specifics. Thanks to Paul at Southern, a wonderful Tech Help Specialist, I got through it. Even though I worked for more than an hour trying to attach the spring hinges, I gave up and called it a day with those things. If you follow the instructions directly, which I did with Paul ( Hi Paul! consultation) they were still a problem. I couldn't see inside the box, even with an LED light, the bottom screws for alignment. The table is heavy at Step 10 ( labeled 0) and I even tried turning on its side. I took off the spring and tried attaching it to the box and then the lid. Didn't work. So since I am going to be putting a glass top on it, I will pass. Storage will be used for boxes of old photos and letters, things I don't use often.Once together, it is just lovely. Buying a second one once I revive myself from cussing so much.Here are some assembly recommendations:Don't remove the labels on the pieces until it is done. Check to make sure that they match the photos. Left and Right is important.Make sure you have a large table and cover with a blanket or soft cloth.The silver screws and wooden dowels should be screwed into the panel first before attaching the sides. DowelFor dowel setting, use a towel wrapped around a hammer if you use one. I didn't.In the step to attach the spring hinges, make sure you have the right one for the correct side. They are different.Hold the feet in place and align when you attach.If you have a problem, call Paul, he is wonderful !!!! To Southern, give him a big bonus and write out some instructions. Illustrations are just that, not instructions.I am typing this and didn't edit. Ask questions.

The assembly instructions were awful. Not one word…just pictures and arrows. Otherwise the table is attractive …. This shouldn’t be your first foray into assembling furniture.

Haven't had it for very long so I can't speak on its durability, although I did note that the finish is scratched quite easily. I'm sure that's to be expected with any cheap furniture; my dining table from Living Spaces is the same way. In terms of looks I am pretty satisfied; the lattice design is not as visible as it is in the vendor photos, but that could be attributed to the poor lighting in my home. It's quite spacious on the inside (size 7 shoe for scale), and I love that it holds itself open. As for assembly, if you can put together Ikea furniture then you'll have no problem with this. The instructions were clear and easy to follow (as long as you pay careful attention to what you're doing) and they even had the customer service number printed at the top of each page. My SO and I put this together in under 30 min and I loved that they included extra screws and such. Overall I think it's a great piece for the price, but I'm leaving it at 4 stars because of the varnish as I have mentioned.Update: It's been a few months and as I expected the surface now has many scratches, so I cannot recommend this to someone with small children who might place or drag things along the top of the table. The biggest disappointment however is that the top no longer holds itself wide open as it did initially. It only stays open about 4 inches from it's closed position. Due to this I have knocked off another star because it was a feature I really liked and it stopped working only a couple months in. I still think it looks great and it's quite unique so I would still recommend buying if it's a decent price and it's a style you must have. Just be aware of its shortcomings.