To gel or not gel? Big question!

All of you fellow furniture DIYers know about the chalk paint phenomena(so amazing what that stuff can do) but do you know much about the gel stains yet? 

I've been researching gel stains a lot because:

1)My house is crawling with honey oak everything(the carpet even seems to be honey oak color).

2)We are on a budget and a full remodel is out of the question

3)My very talented sister told me about how gel stains are simple to use. Not much prep with fantastic results.

(and the buzz in furniture redo land is General Finishes gel stains are top notch)

What do ya'll think about their gels?

So for fun, I'm going to show you some of my chalk paint projects that are done and some projects that are patiently their turn for a fresh new look. You may recognize some of them.

Anyone recognize my chevron wall? Wow!! That was a good five days work and I love it! The shelves are made of old wood ski's and are painted with a creamy white chalk paint. That cute little bench was done with a lemony yellow chalk paint. I do love this part of my home!
Just need to get that antique rocking chair refreshed, haven't decided just the right look yet. My cute hanging basket thing needs better placement but until I figure that out, he's happy hanging out of reach from the little ones.

This is my entryway. Mirror Mirror on the wall, you are the prettiest of all my projects! LOVE my mirror that now matches my little yellow bech. The table was once a yucky oak color too... Thank you chalk paint for your help here... And some fabric covered inserts give it extra flair, I can switch 'em out when I want to.

TILE YOU MUST DIE... But not today.

This lovely dining set has so much character yet to be revealed. And OH look at that hutch!!! We were lucky enough to obtain these pieces with the purchase of home... Keep scrolling to drool even more...we have another hutch and two end tables(French provincial!!!) and even an entire bedroom set of French provincial furniture(not pictured) that we got with the home. Yes my heart skipped a beat when I saw the beauties and found out the owners were going to sell them anyway.

This is the big decision maker here, I really want to stain our kitchen floors and cabinets!!! I would LOVE TO SEE and hear tips on the best way to stain the floors. 

From all that I have read, cabinets are pretty easy to stain(yay!) which is good because this is the smaller portion of my kitchen cabinets. That tile needs some tlc too. 

The second China Hutch is my next project... Think a nice cool gray with a pop of color in the back and creamy white distressed hardware!!! Ahhh!

I'm also thinking of doing a shade of gray for the end tables-there are two-with a yellow top?? (And I am soo not referencing that grimey aweful terrible book that somehow is being made into a movie- scum of the earth I tell ya!) 

See that honey oak carpet I mentioned earlier?! Can I stain that?! LOL!!! 

So what do ya'll think? 

Stain at all or Stain it all?!! 

Moment of Honesty:

I LOVE MY HOUSE! My family is sooo beyond blessed to have what we have and I'm happy with many parts that guests may not be(it's all about loving what you got). I am not going to have all these projects done today or tomorrow but a plan will help get them started. Projects are also a HUGE stress reliever for me- gets my creative side going!

**Editors Note: my pictures were quick snap shots from my iPhone... no judging! :)

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