I happen to think that iron ballusters would look more current.
The reason the front room looks dated is because of wallpaper, and shag carpeting that hangs over. The tile work in the entryway looks nice.
I think you'd get more bang from your buck with removing the wallpaper, a paint job, removing the shag from the stairs and putting a runner down the stairway. After making those changes, I'd wonder about your opinion of the woodwork.
