Painted staircase panels and balusters

The painters finished painting our staircase panels and balusters this week.  They were pretty nervous about doing it because the panels are so intricate and only the face of the wood was to be painted.   They decided to use a small sponge and apply the paint in very thin layers.  Their strategy worked:

 
It's a bit jarring having the panels suddenly white, since they were unfinished wood for so long, but I think the fact that they're painted to match the trim will make them work better once all our furniture is in:  the panels will blend in, adding pattern without being the focal point of every space.  For me they're about amping up the architectural detail in the red brick building.  (An aside: they're particularly fabulous at night, when they cast lacy shadows on the walls.)