I just love these curtain rods! It's such a nuisance buying something you haven't seen, but this was a great purchase. The Shelby finial is nice and beefy, and the rod is good, sturdy quality -- much, much nicer than the curtain rods that I was able to find in stores. Believe me, I looked everywhere before buying online! The paint is a flat finish (not shiny) with a rustic wrought iron feel to it, but smooth enough not to snag any curtains. The paint has more character than the picture shows, though the brown color is fairly accurate. I am very happy with mine! In different rooms, we used the Shelby and Provincial rods, so the nice finials are visible. Hidden beneath the valances, we used a less-expensive rod with capped ends (no finials) so that the curtain panels could be hung on rings. Loved the end result!