Before I start, can I make my site look like this?

I'm still trying to decide on a solution for the site I'm building for my boyfriend's new business.

I am wanting to use a layout something like this:

http://www.trenzador.com/images/Rebenque.gif

The gallery at the bottom will be scrolling dhtml gallery and when a user clicks on the image the details will appear in the larger box above, along with details of the product.

I have some php, mysql, css, html and javascript experience, but always from playing around with personal projects that have never had much point to them, this is the first proper project I have tackled.

Is zencart the way forward?

what you have pictured would be a default "Product Info" page. This layout/look, is attainable with ease as it is a fairly simple design.

The functionality that you describe is not a native function and would require custom coding to acheive. There is a default pervious/next navigator button set that you could use as a start but would have to add the film strip that you have laid out. You will also have to workaround the default categories/sub-catgegories display functions.

It would require more php expertise than I possess but completely attainable.

Thank you for that. I'm not afraid of a challenge, but just wanted some degree of reassurance that it was acheivable.

I'll get going then, although I'm sure I'll be back soon!