I quess I could do veneers and stain the wood black. Is it hard to work with?
It is a little tricky but not that bad. Why would you stain it black? You could do a black piano finish. Veneers finish really well. I think natural finishes always look the best. The quality and nature of the wood really comes through then.
Anyway you strip and sand the unit. Cut the veneers a little over size with scissors. Then you paint both surfaces with impact adhesive, and let the surfaces get sticky for 20 min or so. Then place on the veneers and smooth down with a large flat implement with a smooth surface. Any bubbles can be gently tapped out with a soft hammer.
Trim the edges with a sharp blade, and change it often to keep it sharp. Fill any gaps in the seems with the correct color, color putty. Sand to a very smooth finish, with extra fine sandpaper. Do not use anything other than extra fine, or you will quickly sand the veneer back t the backing paper.
Then apply oil based sealer, and finish to your choice. Don't use Latex finishes.