They just started the project yesterday and are finishing today so I don't have pictures yet, but I can't stress strongly enough how much I think you should get gutters!

My husband had to convince me (I was very frightened of messing up the look of our beautiful, expensive, full-house renovation) and now I am thrilled that he insisted.

I'll post pictures later, but in the meantime I strongly suggest you go for the gutters.

Diverters work great in short sections to break up a strong stream of water or divert water away from a wall. Any more than that and they concentrate water to one area in a light rain and in heavy rains the water rolls over them. I had one client where we had to replace all of their fascia because they had multiple lengths of diverters and the fascia was rotted at each one.

A diverter is just an 'L' shape of metal, where one leg is stuck up under a shingle and nailed. It is put at an angle to divert most of the water to the side of where you are trying to block below it. It should be solidly fastened.

A splash guard would attach to the outer edge of a gutter, and prevent fast-moving water from flowing past the top of the gutter trough and over the side. If this were put on the edge of a roof without a gutter, it would cause water to backup under the shingles and rot out the sheathing, fascia, and soffit.

In your case, water is falling on the ground. It is splashing up and the bricks are "soaking" up extra water. It is causing the grade to settle faster. And the diverters would have been creating a larger point load of water which is worse where it dumps. You can see where the condensers are shading the wall/not allowing as much airflow behind them, allowing the brick wall to stay moist. Wetness invites mold on organic matter that has splashed up or resides within the wall, you can see blackness on the foundation.

Gutters are your friend. As is a discharge at least 10' away from the house.

Also, in your other pics you need a kickout flashing above the window and the little roof next to the 2nd floor above there. A point load of water is running down the roof+wall, then running down the brick header over the wall and back under the window head, in addition to allowing the brick to absorb a higher amount of water. Above there it is running down the wall and getting back under the drip edge and rotting the fascia. You may also need a kickout to the right of the entry portico, can't tell from the tiny pic.

You can also see the siding/trim rotting against the roof. It is too close. It should be held off the roof about 2" or so, enough to cover the flashing leg underneath it but far enough off the roof surface.

We built a Craftsman home on a lake in the mountains. We used a kitchen designer for the layout and cabinet dimensions. A friend who is a cabinet maker built our cherry cabinets and my husband did the rest of the work. He just finished the backsplash last month! We absolutely love how it turned out and would not change a thing. It's not for everyone (especially someone who would want a white kitchen), but it's a dream for us and I am grateful every day that we get to live here.

I sourced the field tiles from Macyntire tiles in Calif and the quote tiles are from Mission Guild Studio in New York.

There are no "rules"

There is what looks good, what makes you happy, what makes you want to come home every day.

You do not have to let the internet intimidate you, it's a universe of both good and bad. Gorgeous and hideous and an awful lot that is purely subjective.

There are designers who could take you where you are dying to go......and just as many who could disappoint you.

You can only do what YOU love, what your resources allow. In the end, you are the Great Decider: ) and at some point, you ignore all other voices but your own.

People baffle me.

When I went to my last formal class reunion (2004) there were probably 120 women there. I was literally the only one there who was dressed in something bright and happy. Almost all the women wore a little black dress. A few were there in pants suits.

I wore an A line floral print dress similar to this:

I stuck out like a sore thumb, but I loved that dress and it made me happy and I look and feel better when I am wearing bright colors and bold patterns. I had a wonderful night. I danced and talked and caught up with old friends and was completely comfortable and at ease.

Were all those other women truly as comfortable wearing that little black dress as I was with my floral print? If they walked into Bergdorf's, Saks or Neiman Marcus and didn't have the preconceived notion that they should wear a little black dress and were left to pick anything that made them feel like a 10 I wonder how many would come out with a little black dress.

Why are so many so afraid of just loving what they love and not needing to be told what they should love?

I have a sister-in-law that has beautiful light blond hair and big blue eyes, skin that tans in a minute and bright white smile. She loves icy bright blues and looks great in clear pastels. She is renovating her home and picked Revere Pewter as the main paint color. Don't get me wrong, I love Revere Pewter. It is the main neutral that I picked for my niece's home, but she loves muted greens and fall colors. My SIL loves spring colors. All her art and décor and everything that she is naturally drawn to is light clear colors. Why did she pick Revere Pewter. Because that is what is popular (small rural town, 5-10 years behind the metro trends). Her friends and the "design consultant" at the renovation center all rallied for Revere Pewter. It is a forgiving color. Her pastel art will be fine on the Revere Pewter walls. It won't make them sing, but it will work.

Come to think of it, she graduated with me and was at the same class reunion. She wore a little black dress.

First time homeowner tip: Do NOTHING to anything, until 6 months have passed. That kitchen needs nothing at all. If the rest of the house is that good looking, you've snagged a winner.