I, too, am in the market of stipping my kitchen cabinets. The cabinets and drawers seem easy enough to strip because I will be able to remove them, but what about the sides and middle pieces between cabinets? Is it easier to sand by hand or use a chemical and wipe down?
Also, I'm not sure of the type of wood. I've been told by a couple of people (somewhat reliable) that it is probably Walnut. Any advice as to lightening the wood? Someone mentioned bleaching, but I have not been able to find much information on it. It's not horribly dark, but MOST of my furniture is Pine and the existing color seems to clash.