Let the Sun In

The sun, if you will only open your house to him, is a faithful physician, who will be pretty constant in attendance, and who will send in no bills. Many years ago glass was something of a luxury, but now we can all have good-sized windows, and plenty of them, at moderate cost, and there is no excuse for making mere loop-holes, through which the sun can cast out half an eye, and from which one can gain only narrow glimpses of the beautiful outer world.

I am sufficiently acquainted with the conservative character of many country people to know that expressions of disdain will come from some quarters when I mention bay windows. Nevertheless bay windows are a good thing. Their effect is very much like letting heaven into one’s house, at least it ought to be like that, for it is nothing but absurdity and wickedness to darken such windows with shutters or heavy curtains until only a struggling ray of sunlight can be seen.

E.H.Leland, Farm Homes, 1882

Sunlight in every room of the house is necessary for good health and should be provided for by the location and architecture of the house.

Samuel T. Maynard, Landscape Gardening, 1899