I waffled on this purchase for a long time, based on the number of reviews that said their table top was several planks of wood, rather than one solid piece. I'm so glad I finally made the leap, because I LOVE this table. The table top came in one solid piece. It's somewhat rustic, with tiny little imperfections that just (in my opinion) add character. My house is not all perfectly-smooth surfaces, so it fits in well, but if you're looking for glossy, smooth finishes, this isn't for you. It's not so rustic as shabby chic, though; I think it's still quite elegant in a "been in the family for a couple generations and gone through a few moves" sort of way -- not at ALL like plywood, as one reviewer said. The color of mine showed up a tad darker than walnut but lighter than espresso. The height was actually 27.5" ... I say this only because some people have reported 28", others 26" ... seems like this varies from table to table. Super-easy to assemble (took 5 minutes, and part of that time was spent hunting down my screwdriver).WARNING--if you're sensitive to fumes, unpack this outside and let it air out a bit. When I unpacked the box, the varnish smell was almost overpowering.