I scoured reviews to find the best crib for our baby. The Da Vinci Emily was top-rated by Consumer Reports, but this one wasn't rated at all. The Emily and the Kalani seem very similar, and this one was rated just as well by all the online reviews, so we bought this one in espresso after months of charting out the positives and negatives of all the espresso cribs I could find.
First, the positives. It took my husband and I about two hours to assemble this crib. We weren't in a hurry, and the directions were straightforward, but it just took some time to make sure it was all put together correctly. The wood is gorgeous! It's an absolutely beautiful espresso and matches our other espresso furniture perfectly. Everyone is stunned by how lovely this crib is!
We've moved once with it already - had to unassemble and reassemble - which was no problem. Our daughter is not quite four months old, so I can't vouch as to long-term wear and tear, but I lean on it often and it is totally sturdy, like you'd expect a regular bed to be. Maybe even more sturdy than a regular bed. In fact, it seems so amazingly sturdy that I've been tempted to climb in there with her!
Now for the negatives: Oh wait, there aren't any. I expected this crib to scratch easily because of other reviews, and so we were careful with it while putting it together, but it really hasn't been a problem. I think there are a few small marks where the button of my pants has leaned against it, but you'd have to look close to notice and they are still the espresso color. More like indentations than scratches. This crib is most certainly heirloom quality and far exceeded our expectations. It's one of the most beautiful pieces of furniture we own, and certainly nicer than any other cribs I've ever seen.
Update after one year: There are still only a few small marks from jean buttons, but our little darling has left some rather visible teeth marks along the rail. We don't mind them, but you may want to consider a protective cover when your child nears the biting age. Our daughter has probably only scraped her teeth on the thing less than ten times, but each time has left a visible mark. The crib is still incredibly sturdy, though, and we know parents who have converted theirs into a toddler bed now and said they could both sit on it with their child! Still a five-star crib in my book, despite a few teeth marks.