I'm preferring the direction you're taking the background at the moment. The previous version pulled my eyes to that swirly pattern in the top panel and held them there.
I like that you're breaking up those vertical lines and the wood pattern. That and the sprouting leaves are starting to make it look like it's made out of bits of tree.
Maybe the horizontal lines need a little roughing up as well? Nothing too serious, but a little upper surface detail and a loose floorboard or two could feel more in keeping.
I was thinking that you might be able to get some inspiration from eco-build houses. Some of them have a very natural-wood aesthetic, using whole trees or roughly cut planks for support beams, work surfaces and shelves. The carousel on this site has a few examples:
http://hartwyn.co.uk/