Today I can finally get back to my staircase, after a couple weeks... I measured out and painted some stair rods, using gold + burnt umber mix to complement the beads that form the ends:

I was dissatisfied with the gold-toned ribbon because it did not seem to relate to the wallpaper well, so I found some wired red at Walmart:

I think that will do. I might use the gold-toned for the 2nd floor staircase. Right now I am panelling the staircase before I try to put it in place; I was thinking of leaving off the pieces that extend to the floor with the intention of getting a better fit once the case is in place, but I think that I will put them on after all-- I will need to put some sort of moulding around the staircase anyway, after the flooring itself is done...