darkbloodwyvern

hello,
I am looking to build something with a nice looking finish, so stained with a clear coat would be ideal. I would prefer something light, but i'm not too worried about that. As for cost, I don't mind if it costs as much as a cage i could buy off the internet, I would just like to be able to make something as close to what i want, and the plastic moldeds are just a little plain for me.
I was hoping to be able to make the cage look semi natural with a fake rock wall or some kind of texturing they can climb on and a few permenent branches in various places.
I am hoping to make something pretty that is not difficult to clean, and i think i'd need it to be light enough to carry with two people, but that doesn't concern me too much. It would need to be something i could handle on my own if i need to, but cost and all that is not a big deal. I was wondering if anyone knew about building fake rocks with nontoxic materials, or material that wouldn't emit toxins after it dries, and what kinds of stains and finishes would be best.
My friend made a beautiful corn snake cage out of an oak entertainment center, so if i find something that i can alter, i may do that if i find something with good wood that looks nice. She added locks and vents and lamps, and it looks really nice decorated.
hers is about 100 gallons, and i think i will make mine smaller around 40-45 if i make it all myslef. If i get a large piece of furniture that is reasonable to fix up, it will probably be big, but i can always make a few smaller cages eventually. This will be a long term project in a couple years, so i wanted to gather ideas now. thanks!