Pictures would be helpful.

Here are pics: new color, old color, entryway that leads into this area.

Couldn’t add pics on the original post for some reason.

More pics - dining room and another shot of living room

I think you should paint the handrails white. They are now the only black element in the round room with the windows, so I think white would be more cohesive.

I think it looks fine the way it is now. I would not paint the handrails.

First off, your new floor finish looks great! What a fantastic improvement and really does achieve what you set out to do, update, and brighten.

I think the black handrail makes sense looking in from the front entry. My guess is it is the same looking from the living room to the entry as well. However, to balance the color within the space I would incorporate a few black furnishings, think small black side table, etc. to help further support the black accent.

If you paint the handrail white, it might look better in the living room but then your double staircase won't look as striking.

My vote is to leave it.

Thank you all for these thoughts! I realize things will look different with the furniture and rugs back in so I plan to live with it a while before deciding on further changes. The hardware on the doors is all black, so maybe that will help as well?

The floors are beautiful. I would leave the handrail - it looks great with your entry floors. Add some touches of black in the room to tie it in.

I would leave it as is. Show it to us once your furniture is back in place. I think it’ll look fine. Love the rest of your house btw. So sooooo pretty and different. Really gorgeous

Agree with Sammie J and Glo, get the rest of your stuff in there and don't look at the railing all by itself. The floor turned out to be beautiful. I commend your choice. I bet it will be easier to live with!

Floors are beautiful! I would leave the handrails dark, a nice contrast.

Wow! You have PERFECTLY COMPLIMENTED the wall colour! Excellent work! Kudos for moving ahead with this colour.

Do NOT change the hand rails. You have a bold sense of style (I can tell by the wall colours and features in the home) and the railing/spindle selection KEEPS the boldness that you obviously like.

What you are seeing is the WOOD for the first time in (how long have they been dark???) a long time. Be OK with this little bit of shock.

The BROWN is a COLD brown. Excellent! So are your gray walls. The gray veining in the wood is a PERFECT match to the deep gray on your walls. And the black railing just sets this off beautifully. It pulls the black/white checker pattern of the entrance into line as well.

You have continuity of concept (design talk for "Nice Work!") with the lighter floor. That's hard to do...even with the best designers on board.

I suggest you sit back and enjoy discovering the subtle colours in your floor. You will see them again for the first time - each day of the year. Just wait until summer light hits your home! Those floors will show a whole new side of themselves.

And please give your floor refinisher a MASSIVE HIGH FIVE for the work s/he did. It is a great example of what can be done when one has the skills to pull it off.

Congratulations! You are one lucky Home Owner!

Thanks, SJ! I read many of your posts about stain colors and the process last week when I was living through this adventure. Thank you for your compliments. The furniture is back in and it really looks great. The bold sense of style is mostly from the prior owner, but we are slowly trying to update and make it ours.