This does have a medicinal type of smell to it. It's not overwhelming to me, but it is definitively there The three drawers are rooms and the area to slide paperwork into, along with books and so, is quite useful. The top area is a shelf type arrangement with some ridges surrounding to keep items from falling off. Drawers slide easily, the black color blends nicely with surrounding items. The drawers are quite roomy...actually a bit bigger than I had imagined.it's a bit pricey but overall I think it's worth it for the nicely organized desk that results.