Should this be in Joinery?

Anyway, I am making two dressing/storage benches to go at the foot of the two Chinese style canopy beds I made for my granddaughters. They are approximately 36 inches long by 18 inches deep. The legs are laminates of Panga-Panga and Tigerwood (whatever that is?). The streatchers are straight grained Panga-Panga. All joints are M&T.

The front and rear panels are resawn Jatoba, the side panels are resawn Tigerwood. I use Jatoba often and it seems to be reasonably stable in the dimensions I usually use but the solid panels seem to move across their width approximately 3/16 inch from my experiments in the shop with heat and steam. The side panels of Tigerwood move very little.

My panels will contain applied carvings (with minimal depth recess in the panel wood). The Jatoba panels ended up a bit over 1/2 inch thick after hand planing them flat. (Yes! I used a hand plane and my scrapers)….

The panels are approximately centered in the legs and streatchers. The recess for the panels are 9/16 inch deep by 3/8 inch thick.

Now my question: Because of the panel design?. OK details may be a better word, I would like to try and keep them centered in their mating members.

I was thinking of using some Vinyl tubing (or other hose material) to allow panel movement and still keep the panels approximately centered and still be able to move as it wants. Maybe surgical tubing may be better.

Bad or good idea I ask….

Thanks….

By the way.. The seat will be a 3/4 inch thick slab of Tigerwood the will lift up for access to the storage area. I would hate to hurt little fingers. Any suggestions on what type of safety hinges would be ideal to prevent the lid from falling and still that a small child could lift?