https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/91H9TOVowCL._SL1500_.jpg (but hopefully with better looks!)
Hey look is subjective, I don't find this ugly. Let's keep simple for the official one and make a design challenge for artistic alternatives.
From a wood engineering standpoint I'd be in favour of looking into this. By using this method, wood movement with climate becomes negligible, which makes things a good deal easier there.
We're talking about plywood here, and smallish pieces, so I think the climate- induced wood movement will be negligible whatever we choose. Unless you sunk it. ;-)