Natural light. There really isn’t any substitute. Here is a building that we stumbled into in Budapest, I believe, in which the entire ceiling was a skylight.
And here is the auditorium of the public house in Prague, where natural light rules, despite the prevalence of available electric illumination:
Before we get to the SoMoToHo, I hope you’ll bear with me showing a couple more travel pics. I couldn’t talk about natural light without mentioning the light and ventilation wells incorporated into the designs by Gaudi. Here is the central light shaft at La Pedrera from top and bottom: 
And, finally, one from Casa Batllo:
Obviously, we aren’t going for anything quite so fantastical in the SoMoToHo kitchen. But we are adding a window over the new sink. Before we bought the house, the first time Debra walked into the kitchen, she said “There needs to be a window on that wall” (pointing to the area above where the antique Jenn Air cook top used to be). I knew then that, if we bought the place, we’d be punching holes in the walls.
She incorporated the new window into the design as a non-negotiable element – by which I mean that, while budgetary considerations are crucial in this project, foregoing the new window has never been an option.
As a reminder, here is the original configuration:
No windows anywhere in the working area. And here is the wall after demo and framing, showing the space where the new sink will reside – with the new window above it:
A bit of construction prestidigitation and the wallboard within the frame and the brick veneer on the exterior wall disappear, then the window begins to take shape.
Remember that trench for the gas line? The masonry magic couldn’t be done until the trench for the gas line was filled in. 
Once the glass is installed, even with the protective film still adhered, the increase in ambient, natural lighting is remarkable.
And once the drywall work is done, the effect is amplified. 
You might notice that the two windows to the right of the sink window were replaced to match the rest of the house. We waited to do that until we got started on the kitchen remodel, thinking that there was a chance that we might increase their size. Budget considerations did come into play and nixed that option – but the new glass without the divided lights will make a big difference. 
Once the masonry magicians pull back the curtain, you can’t tell that the window hasn’t always been there (although you can tell that there is fresh paint; it will blend perfectly with the passage of a little time).
Stick around – cabinets should be arriving soon and then things really start moving!
Thanks for reading; we really appreciate it.