I just love this stool, and so does my cat! When she saw it, she immediately jumped up on it and started sharpening her claws. I grabbed her off of it and put a towel on it so that she could nap on it whenever she liked -- and she likes to nap there a lot! My husband likes the stool, too, but we both have to wait till the cat gets off of it to get our turns. Packaging was very secure, so it arrived in perfect condition. It easily could be placed in a formal living room, but we have it in our recently remodeled bathroom.