Can you take a couple of photos from further back? Perhaps adding some additional trim work if wall allows will complete look

I'm having the walls painted a dark green but I will likely leave the trim and door white

just sand and refinish the newel post.

for the spindles, I'd prob get new ones w/a new base. they're just too beat up to refinish. if you do refinish, bring in some bondo for the large divots and dings.

You could always do that entire wall in a type of wainscot or vertical lap molding so that it's even. or just have the base under the spindles wider at the bottom. doesn't have to be flush.

or, run a wide pice of trim molding like shown here

Thanks everyone! This helped me stop procrastinating this project

Looks great!