I repaired furniture for twenty years. It is not a simple process. Once a finish is on the product, you cannot simply stain it. When I had this problem, I would find the lightest colored strip of wood and work on it--you can only darken wood, you cannot lighten it. I would use masking tape all along the entire seam of the mismatched wood, then protect the rest of the furniture with paper, and then use a close matching Mohawk (brand name) spray stain in light coats to bring it as close to the desired color as possible. I would then remove the tape and spray another light coat of stain on the entire side so as to blend it all together. After this, I would use the proper laquer--flat, satin, or gloss to match the sheen. Then I would rub out the side to bring it to the desired finish. If they used an oil stain with no lacquer finish, then I had a dead flat finish I would spray over the stain. Each and every repair is different. It took years of experience to have the confidence to work on any piece of furniture. Sometimes it is better to just leave it as is. You will feel much worse ruining what you already have.
Appearance of Totem Forest
I need some help with a serious WAF problem. We purchased some new Forests recently in cherry. The wood on each speaker (especially the sides) is quite mismatched. Vince at Totem says they match the fronts and that's it. I'm concerned it could affect resale value. Any comments?