Suggestions for refinishing kitchen cabinets?

My parent’s house was built in 1984, so of course the cabinets are your typical, plain cabinets with an ugly brown stain/wood grain. This summer I plan to strip, sand, and stain them and also to add new hardware. I have never done anything this intense so I need some good suggestions please! (also include types of stain and color suggestions)
-Also the current stain of the cabinets is kind of dark-once I strip and sand would I be able to stain them to be a lighter shade? Thanks!
They are 100% all real wood.

Try this site….this is what I’ll be doing this weekend!

http://www.bejane.com/node/147

Kitchen Cabinet Makeover

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