I'm so glad I finally figured out the Search function properly! I was just about to post a similar question/issue. I've just installed a new tile backsplash in our kitchen and of course now the cabs are dingy and ugly and old looking (coming up on 20 years, so no surprise)...so I figured I'd re-stain them. I've done the guest bathroom vanity, but that was a total strip & refinish. I had read celtic moon's instructions before so I figured I'd give it a go since we wanted to go VERY dark on these cabs, and the thought of stripping the entire kitchen just did my head in. So this morning I removed a drawer front to practise on the back and came up with the same 'problem' - After I prepped, I sponged it on thick, waited a few minutes and wiped it off. Which darkened it a bit, but nowhere near Java! So, I guess tomorrow I'll try just a super thin layer, not wiped. I hope you post an update, Monica...Or maybe you have and I just need to go search ;)

lynn2006, I'd love to see a picture of your cabinets - was the honey maple stain by General Finishes? busybme, you are totally right - white cabinets would look best, but I'm just not confident that I could do a good job painting them. It would really bug me if they didn't turn out perfectly. I figure I have a better chance with the gel stain. Do you have ideas on how to lighten them other than painting them? Maybe just a stain to darken them a bit - so they are not orangey and don't match the floor exactly. ??

It will mess up. Don't let the urge to "git 'er done" mess up your project. I did a few doors at a time because of limited drying space ... yes, it took a few weeks, but they all got done.

Thank you for the help. Sombreuil_mongrel, do you use powdered or premixed dyes? Do you use oil or water based dyes? I will look up the Old Masters products as well. I would like to go to the nearest Woodcraft store (or other quality store) I don't drive, so I would have to convince a friend to drive me or haul cans of stuff on the bus. I am tempted to do the latter, I am already probably known as the crazy woman who bought a pitchfork and rose plants on the bus. I push the boundaries of the "thee bag limit". I'll try to take pictures. I have a bit of veneer to reglue and a small spot near the base of the piece to make a cosmetic patch. It is at toe level, My little dog would be the only one who would see the patch, but I will be happier with it repaired. The pieces in question are quality pieces which I got on freecycle or craiglslist. I just moved to a place with room to work on finishing projects. I am excited to be able to finally refinish the beautiful furniture I have been collecting. The same pieces in mint condition are beyond my budget. I think it is a great idea to have a couple of colors of complementary dyes and stains. I am a fiberartist and am fussy about color. I don't expect my furniture to "match" but I want the tones to blend, not clash. My first project is brown mahogany and I am concerned about having the "right " amount of red. A similarly toned dresser is the next project. This piece needs a slightly larger cosmetic patch. If I am happy with my results on the brown mahogany pieces, another piece is a fruit wood mid century entertainment credenza from a dear friend. It will be a different stain color - the original color looks like gf candlelight. The original finish is nitrocellulose lacquer according the friend who helped me move it. I respect the opinion of using "quality" refinishing techniques on "quality" pieces. Another way of looking at it is that the gel stain is easier to strip/remove than dye. I don't want to start an argument. I am concerned that the gel finish may look too opaque. Therefore, I want to try gel stains on small non valued pieces like a dark wood stool before touching my special pieces. (I realize that the colors won't be exact matches on different pieces). I will eventually get around to dealing with my kitchen. The cabinets don't even match and the countertop is a disaster. That will be a winter project perfectly suited to gel stains. I am trolling craigslist for a tall pantry cabinet to add to the mix. Off to the library, I will check in with everyone later and read more of the fabulous threads on kitchen and other refinishing.