They were honest and upfront about the process- they said the stain was so dark it might stay slightly visible with just a clear coat, but that they could paint it all to match if we wanted. We decided just to do the clear coat and it came out beautiful; you can barely notice and it looks like part of the grain pattern. They were budget friendly, communicated clearly, and gave us different options for how we wanted it done. They also fixed little signs of wear and tear all over the chest, which is antique. They were very careful with wrapping it for delivery as well. Also the giraffes are fine! We removed them ourselves haha.