Richard, they mean to literally behead the plant (knife or clipper), at which point you will have a short stem sticking out of the soil and the top part of the plant with some stem. Don't leave that stem too long. Let that top part harden off over a period of days or more, in other words dry very well, and then stick it back into soil so it can grow new roots. You can search how to root a cutting, which is what you will be doing.

Roof looks great with your brick! I'd follow suit with the windows and get windows with no grids that have bronze frames. (picture below just for frame color reference). For your door I think you could save your door if you're able to replace the ornamental glass insert with a simple one and paint it a bold color that compliments your brick. Otherwise a new mildly contemporary door with cutouts. Definitely remove the teal planters as their tone does not go with your brick. Some simple landscaping with perennials and shrubs underneath the windows would be very pretty. Where is the street in relation to the front of the house?

Yes a runner would be safer on the stairs. That raised edge (if I am seeing right) is a terrible tripping situation. My good friend had that and it was really bad. Hope you can get that done.

I sprayed as per the label. The plant was taken outside and sprayed. It was dried out there and then bought back in. I don't think the leaf's are burnt ... but then again, i don't know whats going on here. When i first got the plant there were scales on it, and then the soil itself have some kind of centipedes or something. so as this plant was kept inside - i covered the top layer of the soil with food grade diatomaceous earth. (which is the bag you see in the back, in the first picture.) The plant was fine for 3 weeks that i had it and i had not watered it during that time as i was waiting to get it treated first. After i treated the plant, and it dried - i watered the soil (only the soil - not the leaf). i let the water flow through the soil. and then 1 week later - the first leaf dropped! its been 4 weeks and we lost 4 leaves! There was a lot of changes - with the water and insecticide treatment . this could have been stressful for the plant. after 2 weeks i flushed the soil again to make sure the water cleared out all the salts in soil or any thing that was blocking the soil. I have not fertilized the plant yet. im waiting for the plant to stabilize before i fertilize the plant.