Just wanted to let everyone know that, amidst a monster renovation, we did go forward with cleaning all the woodwork to prepare for new shellac. After all the advice on solvents and strippers, we just stuck with plain denatured alcohol, steel wool (various grades) and brass brushes (various sizes). We went through A LOT of alcohol, gloves, wool, brushes and rags!! We worked much more aggressively on the oak (in an effort to lighten it a bit) and gentler on the fine grain wood(maple/birch/cherry? not sure what the exact species is). Will share pictures soon... now that we are finally ready to re-shellack (will be employing the help of a pro painter, but giving him specific guidance & oversight on handling shellac). I am now in the process of trying to source the freshest canned shellac (Zinnser) that I can. For the technical folks out there who know shellac - Zinnser advises using a 2lb cut blend on woodwork trim & doors; the can comes pre-mixed at 3lb cut. To step it down to the 2lb cut, the instruction is to blend 2 parts alcohol with 5 parts shellac. Wondering if others have followed this guidance, or just applied straight out of the can? After this epic prep, the last thing I want to do is screw up the finish... I'll have the painter thin it out as directed, although I was hoping to make this process as straightforward as possible for him to avoid mistakes. The other thing I need to grapple with is the possiblity of tinting the shellac that we'll use in the dining room, which was a tinted shellac to begin with (in a brown cherry tone). We'll test how the clear shellac will work on it, but I think we'll have to use a tinted shellac to even out the variations in the wood's tone after the cleaning process. Also as we widened a doorway in that room and had to have a new header replicated out of white oak, so I think a tinted shellac would help with blending (I've already rubbed the new wood down with "dirty" alcohol during the cleaning to begin to match it). I was thinking of experiementing with a universal colorant (we don't want to use amber/orange in there). The plan is to hit the rest of the house (which has an orange glow) with clear shellac. Again, if anyone has technical advice in this area, it'd be great to hear! Here is a link that might be useful: Shellac Application Data

I just can't get the hang of posting pictures... In the past I'd asked on the kitchen forum about floors. Here's that link with pictures the folks there so graciously posted for me! I've pretty much decided on my Wilsonart Clift Slate laminate tile flooring (gray & brown), so that's what'll be different than these pix.I'm trying for a more contemporary look. (My golden oak stained louvered cabinets were custom built in 1985 and they're so solid and unique I just can't bare changing them... so I'm embracing them : ). Hope this helps explain my situation. http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg021253574580.html sheesharee: Once I get my new floor, I'm planning on a rug under the new table like you did. Thanks for posting pix! cathrugg: I LIKE how switching out to black looks! wow ! It's amazing how different it is! The dining set that you get a peak at is just the wrong style for me. It is oak, not very vibrant at this stage, so I'm passing that down to one of my kids who's just starting out : ) I think because it's some kind of stain that is like ashy or something, it doesn't match real well for some reason, hence my question. : /

Well, it looks like you've considered all your options. I would live with them, but am not as opposed to the look as you. I'm not wild about that oak grain but don't really mind the color. It seems like it will be a lot of work or expense to paint them well, but people do it. What would you think of whitewashing them? I think you have to be careful to avoid going pink and you'd have to get the right technique to get a good result: I might compare the cost of redoing with replacing them, but you'll likely end up with an inferior product if you replace. If it's damp where you're located, at least you know the oak isn't going to warp. Good luck!

Well, the cabinet looks like it floating out in space now. So I would paint the cabinet and the rest of the wall a color. Look for a peel and stick wallcovering that you can use to cover the back panel cabinet. Leave the trim, baseboards, and mantle alone. Paint color will play a big role. I did a mock of the best I could with what I have.