u/DIY-Mimi

My daughter bought a house that has Amish made oak cabinets. They are really nice but unfortunately the stain is golden oak. My question is, has anyone sanded oak cabinets down and restained verses painted? I’m not a fan of painted oak cabinets. I know I could use a filler to hide the grain but I don’t want to go that route.
I have attached a couple of the doors I have already sanded down. Any advice would be appreciated. I used 80-120-220 grit sandpaper. I’m struggling to get them completely natural again. Does this matter if I’m going to stain a dark walnut color?