Gardener123, funny, I saw those lucite rails too, on Etsy. While they look really nice in the picture, somehow I don't think it would work in my condo - they're just a little too commercial or retail looking...or something...maybe I'm not articulating it well, but something about them makes me think they'd look wrong! Ravencajun, I'm pretty close to deciding to build a simple one from a pine or hemlock wood rod, along with iron or brushed metal casings/wall brackets. But I will check out Black Dawgs anyway, thx! I have no idea where they're located though, will find out soon enough.

Be sure to sell or give away that beautiful old railing and not throw it on a heap. I happen to like it. But indeed, it might look better in black. The railing you have posted instead gave me some shudders. Quite a contrary style and not one I'd welcome in my home. Way too modern for a ranch home, is what comes to my mind. If you are really going to get a new railing, I like the one Judy proposed, although I wouldn't want it in white at your place. Perhaps in black and the railing that matches the wood of the stairs? Or maybe something like this?

So my husband is thinking simple vertical looks pretty good after all :-). I'm laughing because I had ordered custom shades from a company that custom colors their own patterns in whatever color you want. I had approved a swatch but when the shades came in, the color was definitely a more blue/green shade than what I had approved. Apparently they decided to match the original fan deck swatch of theirs and not the color I actually approved. I was all set for them to replace it since the color was off. However the store then offered to take off the tax on my whole order (to the tune of almost $600). Between that and the new rug that picked up the same green color, I suddenly loved the new color shades. Funny about that! And I'm the only one who would ever notice the difference.

The post I mentioned would not be at the bottom tread so the design of a continuous handrail would have to bypass the post to get to a newel at the bottom tread and there would need to be a guard at the new opening whether it be solid, balusters, etc. At first glance it seems a potentially messy solution. Perhaps the handrail could be at the other side and the guard could terminate at the post. The bottom tread should have had returns at each side. Its looks like a abasement stair in the entryway.