I my area Alberta's seem to always get dead spots on them eventually and why I have steered clear of them. Big Maples can look nice, but I wont risk getting one with those awful helicopter seeds...lol..I dont want 1000's of maples.

I have an Elderberry and in bad winters they will die to the ground. BUT THEY GROW LIKE A WEED! Just like a Butterfly Bush. Mine every year gets over 6 foot tall no matter what. I wouldnt suggest it for your front of your home with how well structured you have everything. I am sure you will be dissapointed in it. I enjoy mine located in the back yard and gets a ton of sun and has the room to do whatever it wants. Might also constantly reach for the sun out front, would be my guess.

I have a smaller variety of dark leaved ninebark that gets about 5 foot tall. Sorry I am not sure what type it is, but I know it is not a diablo which I believe gets bigger than mine. I have never had a mildew issue with it, but could be due to it gets alot of evening sun also. I think it could be a good choice for that spot along with the smaller variety of dark leaved weigela you have mentioned. My final comment would be to consider a laceleaf weeping Japanese Maple for that spot if you are looking for that color scheme. But looks like it could be a little tight for that spot and you might have to make that spot a litte wider from the house. BTW everything looks great!!

I would love a Japanese Maple, but they're only hardy to z5. The one that I do have is overwintered in the garage. So, that won't work for me, as much as I want it to!

Thanks for your kind comments.

I know you are stuck on a certian color scheme...but what about a low hedge of coralberry or winterberry?

given the sun shade...i'd go with the elderberry if that is your color palette. more sun equals more color on any of the red leaved shrubs and the wigs and phys are most likely to green out.

i know this ain't the weeping jap maple, but look into the variety emperor I. I know people in the woodbury area that had been growing outside as far back as 01-02.

as an alternative for color palettw...how about some of the larger reddish leaved perennials? eupatorium and the like?

Weigela 'Shining Sensation' might be the size you are looking for.

http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/shrubs/msg0322250627728.html

Agree that JM's are better color option for east-facing, but forget Emperor-1. That's a tree not a shrub. Mine is 15' tall x 15'wide. You would need a threadleaf shrubby type. I don't know about Z4.

As far as color quality in your location, If the location is not quite sunny enough, are you able to move it in 2 years to a south-facing location? I would give it two years to settle in before judging.

Strobiculate...
Ilex reportedly does not do very well here. So, I'm not about to try something that's likely to fail. I'd rather stick with something I am familiar with, if I'm to spend the money on shrubs.
Part of the reason I offered up these suggestions is that they are readily available from local nurseries... ones that have a 2-4 year guarantee on shrubs.

I'd love Eupatorium... I'm a huge fan of 'Chocolate', but I've had mixed results and it's extremely late to come up here. The one plant that I have left is only 2" high at the moment. It won't be significant till July. And I'm not willing to have something in such a prominent spot as this, that is only enjoyable during just 3 months of the year.

wendyb...
'Shining Sensation' does look interesting, however, I've not seen it locally... or at least not readily, so that means bigger bucks to have it shipped in, and likely no guarantees.

Since this area does get sun till about 1:30, I'm certain that that is plenty for something to keep color, if it has the genetics to do so. I don't have much space on the south side of my house, so that's not really an option. It's this spot, or nowhere.

I am leaning toward a weigela, it's just a matter of which one. More fact-finding to do.

I looked up the shining sensation and looks like it would fit your needs for sure. Here is a link from my local nursery for them and other weigelas. They do mail order now on large plants also.

http://www.daytonnursery.com/encyclopedia/Trees_Shrubs/Weigela.htm

I am used to talking to people who grow hydrangeas in higher zones than me. So didnt dawn on me that you couldnt grow Japanese Maples. Take a look at a Twist n Shout Hydrangea from the Endless Summer collection. They are good down to zone 4 and are very hardy. The stems and veins in the leaves are red/burgundy all through the growing season. Then in Fall the entire leave turns red and hold on for a long time. Let alone they rebloom all season long with red/pink lacecap flowers. They grow very fast and are the first of my hydrangeas to bloom. Then continue to rebloom all growing season. Your spot looks perfect for one...lol...but I think the weigela would look great also!

Shining Sensation is reportedly zone 5 hardy and grows to 5'. Won't work for me.

Here are some that the garden center I buy from has on their list right now:

Tango 2-3' tall and wide
Fine Wine 2-4' tall and 3'wide
Dark Horse 3' tall and wide
Spilled Wine 3' tall and wide
Minuet 3'tall 5' wide

I would go with the Weigela 'Dark Horse' since it is exactly the size you need and has the darkest foliage of all the weigelas.
If you're having issues with podery mildew I would avoid any more Ninebarks.
As far as the maple tree goes in the front, have you considered a flowering crab apple tree to replace it?
Below is a link to some really good information on crab apple trees you may find very useful. I know the article is written for SC Kansas, and you are in Ohio, but the information about the flowering crabs is the the same no matter where you plant them.

Here is a link that might be useful: Flowering Crabapples

Thank you PlantingMan.
I'm leaning toward Dark Horse for the same reasons you mentioned.

I'll check out your link for Crabs... incidentally, I'm in Minnesota. ;-)