the cypress and ss hardware would work well.
fwiw i saw a very sturdy well-priced shower stool at ikea the other weekend. i was drug there by my wife as pennance for not not getting my son's bed made. it cost me $ 450 for a couple nice book shelves and a chest of drawers. as much as it pains me to admit i couldn't have gotten the materials for what twice what the rta stuff cost us.