I think you will get feedback if you clarify not only your question but the photos you posted as well.

What vm said.

Pictures, in this case, not equal to any words.

I can't seem to edit the original post. The picture with the steel railing is my neighbor's home, identical layout to our home. We have a sunken living room. My husband wants the spindles, square wooden ones to go straight across with no posts breaking them up periodically. I think they need the posts. Not necessarily sold on the white railing but we need something as we have small children. Here is a picture of our neighbor's home closer up.

The first picture is the railing you want, minus the center posts?

The railing will be a bit flexible.

You could use a wider steel top rail (covered with wood) to reduce the flex.

I like the posts, they add character and seem to tie in with your kitchen.

The white posts do connect stylistically with your kitchen however, I would work hard to not let the heavy wood and all the vertical lines dominate the view. Meaning, install a railing that is functional and draws the eye to the beauty of the kitchen, not away from it.

Hope this helps.

Best.

That's not her kitchen. You don't have to get massive newel posts like that, but you will need something more than spindles. Little kids will climb the horizontal ones your neighbor has.

Jan - There is no picture of the OPs house, but if there were one it would look just like the neighbor's house but without the steel railing. Their house had a pony wall there which has been removed. There is a second picture of the neighbor's house from the other direction. The very first picture at the top is an inspiration for the OP. She's not sure about white, but she likes the big newel posts because they add character. Her husband just wants spindles. Do you think the big posts will block the view looking towards the dining room windows?

Suzy, you perfectly summed up the delimma. Thank you. Yes, the concern is blocking the view from dining to living room. This is the current state of dining room looking over living room.

This is a picture of the dining room, large windows that get the light as little light comes from living room.

I like Jan's picture, but not so sure about glass and gooey kid prints. I'd be obsessively wiping it and yelling at the kids for touching it. Windex and paper towels would become my decor on the dining side.

You can't do something like your neighbor's? Their solution, looks FAB. Even if you have to turn the spindles vertically and put them closer together?

There was a big previous discussion on Houzz concerning horizontal rails that children can easily climb. Correctly spaced vertical rails sound safer.

My neighbor's railing makes me nervous because of the kids. I like the look of the glass. Found this image but I'm afraid it might be impossible to keep clean. My concern with traditional white spindles and posts is that it will block light and view. Read up on the idea of the railings not being code when horizontal. I live in Philadelphia and have seen them in a lot of renovations at various open houses. I don't think they are a problem to get.

What style is your kitchen? Any way to show us pics of that or at least the uninstalled cabinets and counters and flooring?

Ty