I got an incredible deal on a hutch recently and I thought it would be my opportunity to repaint something. But then I found out it's massive oak and have been reading about how difficult it is to do it correctly. What I've read is that the grain shows and so it requires a ton of prep. But does it really look bad if the grain is showing? Am I missing something?

I'm a total noob when it comes to refinishing furniture and would love to hear from the pros