Can you upload pictures that are larger? You seem to have "thumbnails instead of real pictures. And it's the details that are important for deciding origin and age. Take good, well-lit, (not flash, bring in The style is a "Savonarola chair", and they have been popular for centuries.

Thank you all and I'll be sure to pass on the kudos to Mike for his awesome carving talent! Thanks for all the good health wishes too! I canceled my appt with neurosurgeon -- surgery will be my absolute LAST resort. Unfortunately, I've over-done everything this week... it seems like EVERYTHING went wrong... but as of this afternoon all of the crisis situations are handled or under control. lol! I will be sure and post the photo when the carving is finished. We'll see which of the two basket/santas he gives me. :O)

Jim - we have a special machine at school to manufacture the 300 lb. blocks of ice. It takes 3 days to make one. It was real trip carving ice. I used a chainsaw for the first time in my life. I felt...well...rather....manly, for lack of a better term. And for the past two days, my back has been in agony!

Thankyou Jon, You are absolutely right-frameless with slab fronts, couldn't think of the right names at the time. I also realized after I posted that I should have used the word product rather than wood as I think it would be tough getting solid wood horizontal grain doors. I'm open to all suggestions and the veneered MDF sounds like a good one. It's not necessary that the grain be horizontal either it's just that I want a very simple even look to the fronts. The carbonized compressed vertical stranded bamboo is absolutely stunning. The carbonization is a process they put it thru that causes some sort of reaction with the natural sugars in the plant that gives it it's darker colour so the colour goes all the way thru rather than just on the surface like a stain. It's a medium toned brown (not pale like most bamboo one sees), very little red/orange with lighter and darker striations (strands). We agonized over floor choice as we each had different ideas but when we saw this we knew it was for us. It doesn't have the "knuckles" that are so prominent in the horizontal bamboo and is extremely stable. Because of the varied striations, options for cab colour are quite open, from light to dark however I'm thinking medium(preferably) to lighter as we are in the woods and I'm afraid that a dark finish (black would be lovely-my first choice but DH won't go for it) would be too dark even though our kitchen is quite large and open to rest of house with high vaulted ceilings. Thx again Biner By the way we poured sample slabs of concrete this week and I am so excited. They are going to be beautiful and for first timers I'm amazed at how easy it is and how well they turned out. Can't wait to post some pictures.