I debated whether or not to purchase this rug because I wasn't sure of the color. I wanted a slight gold/yellow effect but not sure because of the reviews. The rug went on sale so I decided to go for it. Glad I did --- the background is a true beige (a very natural color) and the bits of gold/yellow give it a yellowish overall effect. The bits of red are a maraschino red and are very pretty. Now ... the rug sheds, and sheds pretty much. The more use, the more shedding. I have dark hardwood floors and fibers from the rug must fly around and land on the floor, so the floors look dusty very quickly. The catch is that you can't buy a nice wool rug that doesn't shed at this price point.