they both look fine,,almost the same. clear one has a tad more red to it. maybe do the stain, but lighten it up by 50%

It is my understanding that natural walnut lightens with age so what you start with may change. I prefer the unstained version, especially when they are viewed vertically as they would be on cabinets. The other appears a bit muddy.

The stain is gorgeous (with the tile too)! Anything that leans red, sets off alarms in my mind because it can throw a lot of things off :)

Walnut is such an amazing wood on its own, I don't understand why anyone would want to hide its natural beauty with stain.

Walnut is my favorite wood and I see no point in staining it to look like something else .

with tatts and Patricia and others here. some woods are the best when not touched, left in their natural glory-walnut is definitely one of them

don't stain walnut, just use a bee wax, will be more dark but is not a permanent stain