I have made weathered wood (think gray barn siding) by mixing water and baking soda then liberally applying it to the wood and letting sit in the sunlight. 2 coats is usually sufficient. Check out the picture frame over my stairwell Saturday when your over. It was done that way.
I'm curently trying some of the Old Masters white pickling stain on doug fir cut offs, and I'm not to satisfied with the results. Works awesome on oak doors, but not fir shafts in my opinion.
I don't care for water based stains to much. with the finish I put on, it allows the water base stain to run. It can be done, but it requires some thought.
I have done painted crowns, but being a carpenter, I love seeing the wood grains, so the majority of my arrows are all stain.
In my opinion, Minwax ebony stain on doug fir is the prettiest looking stain. It would look awesome with the other color you picked (they inspired me to open the doors to the Motor City Machete shop tonight), but it would distract from the footings on them. I will continue tinkering with the pickling stain tomorrow, and also talk with one of our painters too.
Could just keep it natural too? I will do one with 1/2 pecan and 1/2 bare tomorrow evening. Maybe with some of that "special paint" used to separate them, it would all flow together. The boys (yes I was one of them too)went down there tonight with the night vision goggles and loved the way the paint looked.