paint vs staining furniture

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Hello!
I hand sanded and sanded 1 of My daughter's old white dressers and now I'm looking at the next one...

Do You have any suggestions for Me. Paint vs staining. What's the easiest?

I sanded all the way down to the smooth wood, but it took months!

Could both be painted or stained as is?
I really would like Cherry Red to match My Grandmother's dresser.

Thanks for any advice!
A real beginner here!