I love birds-eye maple. The star is big and bright without being too big! The padauk background makes the star pop. And the birds-eye wreath makes for a wonderful centerpiece. The flipside is ALL birds-eye! There is a small defect - shown in the third photo. Look closely and you’ll see a spot that doesn’t quite match. The veneer tore out when I sanded it - and I fixed it as best I can.