This dresser used to be mine growing up. I never knew anything of it's history till I told my father I was going to sell it because the finish had worn off and it was in horrible shape. My father said don't sell it, if you don't want it I will take it because it used to be in great-grandmothers boarding house, then it was mine and was painted , then your grandfather took off the paint and stained it for you.

Obviously I can't sell it and the orangey-mid century modern look doesn't work for me. So I have decided to refinish it in Minwax dark walnut stain I already have. I tried to stain my bed when I built it but that turned into a giant fiasco and I ended up painting my bed. My questions are do I need to use a wood conditioner? How do I apply the stain? I wiped the stain on my bed with a sock and it came out way too light and splotchy. How long do I let it cure? Pretty much staining for idiots 101.

Here it is.

With a drawer.

Any idea what kind of wood it is?