quarter sawn white oak goes dark brown.........

Before I share my dillemna I wanted to thank you all for your hospitality in welcoming me to “The Lumberjocks”.
I have been a long time carpenter…...I had my first working tool set at age four and I have been at it since.It started with forts (I still can’t replicate the rusty bent nail holding together two sheets of rotting 1/2 ” ply) and soon was selling skateboard ramps and was on my first job sight at 9 pulling concrete forms with my uncle.I have worked several home improvement shows and ran the furniture portion of Extreme Makeover Home for two years and have several years of onsight cabinetmaking and custom mill work. I swear I will get to the point but with all your hospitallity I figured I had better say hi and introduce myself.

so here is my situation:

I am currently working on a sample of quarter sawn white oak that has me and many stumped.The sample has what appears to have many layers of color to give sort of shimmering effect as light changes.I understand this is partially a result of the “flake in the wood so this led to the application of dyes only to achieve color.That certainly did not give the necassarry warmth and luster of an almost hand rubbed finish trapped beneath an incredible build up of lacquer.So I proceeded with grain filler and some glazing as well.Needless to say I have a wide array of great samples but none of which capture the warmth as well as “shimmer” of the sample in which I was handed.When I stripped a portion of the sample I first removed a thick lacquer finish followed by a dark red than a very dark brown and finally a black base behind what appeared to be a bleached piece of qs white oak……....I know I am calling the repair shop and asking to diagnos the noise my truck makes when…….but I was hoping somewhere in this great country someone might have the secret to creating an old world finish covered with enough lacquer to make Italy proud.

any one out their have any revelations from the Lord above to my dilemna…..and did I fail to mention that this finish is going on all the walls,ceiling and cabinetry in a very large bathroom so I was hoping to do away with the lacquer and use a catalyzed varnish.

-- "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding......."