I love and hate cherry. If you've ever tried to put a dark stain on
cherry you know what I mean. It doesn't receive stain evenly. After
trying to get that aged dark look via lye, I gave up and went "natural"
with the kitchen cabinets. A few years later, I made a fireplace
mantel and went for that stained rich cherry finish using a gel-based
stain. I was aiming for perfection and the result was okay, but
this had to be one of the most aggravating finishing experiences I've
ever had.