Sara Ballinger - 1130 Creative, LLC We have it in our home and LOVE it. We have three young kids and a dog. It's a soft wood; it WILL scratch. But even still, it's stunning. We ordered character grade black walnut. It has knots in it so it looks a bit more aged and blends well with the wear and tear of kids/pets. We also it stained w/ a coffee finish, so it's even darker. Gorgeous. Order it. You won't regret it!