I cannot see the grain well, but I agree it probably is not oak. However, it could be birch if it is not old pine. The desk looks nice enough to spend a good amount of time on restoration. You can unscrew the pulls(from the inside of the drawers) and remove them. The shadow under the pulls will remain and have to be sanded away to match the rest of the fronts. To properly refinish/protect the wood, you will need to get all the old finish off. That will be a major job, taking weeks to do properly. In fact, that process is so involved you would be better informed by buying a book on furniture stripping and restoration and finding the specific steps needed for that desk. Once the finish/dirt is removed, the color will be changed. You have several options at that point. Dye, stain, or just finish. Those options will be covered in that restoration book. If it were mine, I would use a dye(better color control/longer lasting color). But, dyes are expensive and difficult to use. An oil based stain(available at home improvement/hardware/paint stores will be much easier/less expensive. Then I would use a wiping varnish---NOT polyurethane!!!! Why? Because that finish is closer to the original(which also could have been shellac), much easier to use than shellac, can be spot repaired(poly cannot be easily spot repaired), and wiping varnish is the easiest finish for a DIYer to apply and get a really nice finish. The wiping varnish takes two applications to get the same coverage/protection as brushed/sprayed on varnish, but allows the applier to avoid runs/sags/etc. that can occur.

Any type of tree can be used for bonsai however, in order to create an impressive specimen one looks for certain characteristics in the material used. This information should help a little. Trunk thickening is essential to develop a trunk which has proper taper meaning it goes from thick at the bottom to thin at the top. How do you thicken the trunk of a bonsai tree? To achieve the proper taper of the trunk which gives the tree proper proportion and gives an older look to your bonsai tree you will need to strategically cut the trunk. The more weight the trunk supports the thicker the trunk will grow. Trunk thickening is in a direct relation with old cells laid down in the cambium of the tree. The cambium grows from outside outward and allows the tree to cover up minor wounds and wall off rotted wood. More light and foliage result in more food production which leads to mores cells being laid down in the cambium and a thicker trunk as a result. It is generally accepted that to build an impressive bonsai tree you must create a good root structure, then a thick strong trunk and finally the branch structure. http://www.best-bonsai.com/bonsai-knowledge-base/trunk-thickening/

"The window in the shower also needs to be waterproofed..." Huge red flag, The shower/bath combo should never have been installed without that window already having been waterproofed. The waterproofing of the window is done behind the tile. It is literally impossible to waterproof the window at this stage, but even installing a vinyl window and minimizing the risk of leaks in this case would be a very complex job requiring a certain skill set. If there is evidence of leakage, you are looking at gutting the enclosure to fix it, which would certainly fix the brown issue.

that did come out very nice. How about a black tray like this w/flowers or books or something? I gave you a garden stool next to the console. maybe a basket w/flowers and things?: I like these lamps better than the light blue/gray ones you have. In fact, I might change the lamps to something darker though. don't know if a black (or deep navy) base or even a shade would look better against the background. ? I like adding a darker stool or something next to the console. (if you go w/a darker shade) I wanted to see what a darker console would look like against it after seeing this picture