I have NEVER seen any fall color on silver maples here maybe a scant yellow for a day and then brown...Maybe you have a differnt variety there. I had one at my old house loose a limb and take out the neighbors garage that cost me pleanty I had my neighbors take out my fence .. we had one down the road take out the power for about 1000 folks. I have another neibor who lost half of his last wiointer the rest doied and it's 80 feet tall it will cost a fortune to take down now and have it cut up or hauled away you can't use it for fire wood it's to soft and crummy!! As Ia kid my father had several planted for quick shade and I spent most of every summmer taking care of falling branches ...As I said If you like 'em go for it .As far as seeds there were NO SM's withjin 800 yards of me 5 years ago and now except for the thousands that are popping up in any unmowed place in my yard ...they do FLY!!..But in the final result It's all a persoanal choice based on personal experiences ... Mine are obviously differnt from yours and from the posts here I have much more company than you as far as opinions on the silver maple but there is nothing wrong with having a minority opinion ...again good luck ..David

If it looks that bad, I don't think I would want an exchange, I would want my money back. Read the warranty and just stick to your guns. Don't accept another product that may get them through the warranty period but will ultimately fail too. If they insist, then tell them you want the warranty restarted. Get everything in writing before it is reordered.

Keep the stucco, definitely - yeah it does require some occasional maintenance every ... oh, half a century or so... but it really is a quality item. Either patch and repaint, but make it an earthier color that realates better to roof and brick chimney - eg if green, a browner/richer/earthier shade of green. Or if you are resurfacing entire house, they can color the stucco itself to leave you with a more maintenance free surface that has a more of a natural masonry pebbly surface that can be VERY attractive. Im curious do you know what the original color or finish was? Not that you have to replicate it, but it can be helpful to inform you what the original intention was and look up pictures of other stucco houses of that era - could be Im way off about my inclination toward earthier colors for stucco. Your houses era/style, midcentury modern, is very fashionable these days and in fact a lot of contemporary architecture and home furnishings replicate or are inspired by that era.... so you really cant go wrong by remaining true to that style. You say "modernize" but IMHO, getting houses back to their roots and making changes that are harmonious with and true to the original design esthetic is usually the best choice. That in itself will make your house look totally refreshed and "new." Actually I cant see any sign of swirl marks in the photo - I don't think changing that would have nearly as much impact as repairing the surface & refreshing the color. BTW, I do agree with above posters that it is a very attractive house as is!

Rose I really like that light fixture you posted for the front entry. I think it will be a fab flip for the one you have currently. Classic style, goes with a lot of other things, and practically can't go wrong. I am a firm believer in getting the most bang for your buck. Change out that one, see how it plays with the dining room, and if you still have the money and inclination to go further, then on to the dining room. You will either like the contrast or find that it is even more of an imperative to change out the dining room . . . I have a really nasty brass "tulip" light in our dining room, it came with the house. We call it "Audrey" because it unfortunately bears a slight resemblance to the star of "Little Shop of Horrors." I am looking to replace it with a plain black iron chandelier, one I could dress up if I miss the bling, and dress down if I'm growing tired of that look. Honestly, though, the light you have in the dining room is the least of your worries. You should have to live with Audrey . . . Can add flame lights, beads, crystals, or little lampshades. Or serve plain.