Table-window sill in the kitchen, types of designs and materials

Every person tries to arrange their home so that they can live comfortably and cozily. But practice shows that small-sized apartments are not so easy to equip. Why? Because you need to fit a lot of things into a small area.

Often, owners of small apartments have problems with arranging a small kitchen, in which they need to allocate space for a work area, an area for eating, for kitchen utensils and household appliances. Experts, faced with such a problem, offer a winning option - install a countertop instead of a window sill.

A window sill-countertop makes it possible to rationally use a small kitchen area. This is especially true for “Khrushchev” apartments, where a tabletop-window sill allows you to really free up a specific area for other needs.

By installing a countertop near a window, you free up space for washing and space for preparing food. Due to natural lighting, electrical energy is saved, and under the table it becomes possible to place cabinets for storing kitchen items.

How to make a table from a window sill in the kitchen with your own hands

To get started, stock up on the necessary tools. You will need:

Laser rangefinder

cutting tool;
measuring tool;
masking tape;
pencil for marking;
sandpaper or grinder;
polyurethane foam;
sealant or silicone;
building level;
the tabletop itself and its accessories: for example, legs.

Jigsaw

Use Cases

You can make a window sill table in the kitchen for different purposes. It’s nice to dine on it with a view of the street or cook food or wash dishes in good daylight. An additional box is placed under the window or shelves are built for storing canned goods, dishes, and household chemicals. In any case, this solution becomes the best for apartments with small kitchens or for private houses with a small area.

Dinner table

Making a dining table from a window sill is the easiest way. It is enough to increase the space under the window, create additional supports and place chairs. This design will create a well-lit and cozy place for eating. To prevent your feet from resting on the radiator or grille, the free edge of the tabletop should be at least 20-25 cm.

A stationary table on the window sill in the kitchen can be connected to a set and continue in a U- or L-shape. For small rooms, make a dining island (in the shape of a semicircle, drop), which provides easy access to the refrigerator and doorway.

An interesting solution is a bar counter, which can start at the window and turn toward the living room. This design is not only functional, but also serves as a zoning element for a studio apartment.

Continuation of the working area

To increase the working area, you should adjust the window sill to the height of all countertops. This is easy to do in a private house or if the opening opens onto a balcony. It is enough to reduce the window and raise the work surface. You can also place furniture above the window sill, and use the resulting opening to store kitchen utensils. An island is created when household appliances are installed between furniture and a window. If the kitchen table borders the balcony door, its edges are rounded without interfering with the passage to the window.

An interesting solution is to move the sink under the window. Thus, daily washing of dishes is brightened up by an excellent view from the window, fresh air and sufficient lighting. The sink for this design should be deep, located on the side of the window, closer to the edge of the countertop. The correct location will provide easy access to the window and reduce the risk of constant contamination of the glass from splashing water.

Retractable kitchen table

Due to their ability to be “when needed”, pull-out tables are very useful. They can move out of the lower cabinets of a kitchen set and hide under the guise of a drawer or part of the facade; they look like a small table for morning breakfast or a real kitchen table with four legs.

A retractable kitchen table can be hidden in a bar counter, look like a picture hanging on the surface of a wall, or hide a radiator panel under a window sill. You can open a narrow cabinet for kitchen utensils or lower a component of the ceiling structure to create a table top with attachable legs.

To make the interior more balanced, you need to style the retractable table “under the countertop”

This table takes up little space, even with a decent area

An ordinary kitchen table can also be retractable if it is provided with a specialized niche.

An additional retractable table can be conveniently used when sorting out bags of groceries or preparing food for a holiday, when you have a lot of helpers, and there is a catastrophic lack of space in the kitchen work area. Such a table will not be replaced for apartments and at the same time studios, where one room performs a couple of functions and when the table is removed, the kitchen room does not cause a feeling of sudden contrast with another room.

The practicality of a retractable table depends on the materials of production and their fittings. A telescopic retractable table of a regular shape will withstand loads of up to twenty kilograms with its own half-meter width, and many models can withstand more. The length of the tabletop depends on the design component in which the table is hidden. There are “growing” models that allow you to lengthen the tabletop and make it wider.

Manufacturing materials

The appearance and wear resistance of the countertop depends on the material it is made of. It must be taken into account that the window sill is installed in the kitchen, where there is high humidity and fumes. The surface must be durable, not fade, not swell, and not change under the influence of high temperatures.

Pros and cons of the most popular materials:

Plastic is a budget option for countertops that can be combined with kitchen cabinets made of chipboard or MDF. Among the advantages are: a variety of colors and shapes, ease of care, resistance to sunlight. But such a surface is not heat-resistant; it is easily scratched, swells and deforms due to moisture getting into the joints.
MDF and chipboard imitate wood or stone well, which allows you to create any design for minimal money. Advantages of the material: high wear resistance, ease of care, wide selection of colors. But over time, the surface gets scratched and moisture gets into the holes, which leads to deformation of the slab.
Wood is offered for classic kitchen design. The material looks expensive, environmentally friendly, and pleasant to the touch. The cheapest option would be pine; among the elite varieties, cherry, oak, and mahogany are offered. Such a surface has low performance characteristics: it can be deformed from moisture, impact or excessive load, requires regular treatment, and is easily flammable.
Artificial or natural stone is a top seller, since the material is the most durable, does not contain joints, and can have any non-standard shape. If you choose a natural countertop, you should take into account the stone’s ability to accumulate radiation. Traces of tea, wine, coffee may remain on the surface.

Manufacturers also offer glass countertops. This material looks unusual, especially near the window. A glass window sill is often equipped with a sink. But glass is afraid of temperature changes and may crack over time.

Plastic

MDF

Tree

Stone

Glass

Step-by-step instructions for installing countertops made of chipboard and ceramic tiles

Purchase of material.

To make such a window sill table top, you need to buy the following devices: chipboard, ceramic tiles, silicone, tape, ready-made table legs, polyurethane foam.

When you have all the necessary tools and materials, you can begin work.

Marking.

The table should be installed immediately after installing the new window. If the window and window sill have already been installed, you will have to first remove the old products. Dismantling is simple and only requires the use of male physical strength. When the dismantling work is completed, you need to measure the length of the concrete base near the window and determine the width.

If you want a small table that will only hang slightly over the concrete base, then legs will not be needed.

Preparing the board.

Chipboard must have a thickness of at least 12 mm. The board must be cut exactly to measurements. Accuracy must be maximum, so it is better to make markings first and check everything several times.

Sand the edges and entire surface of the tabletop with a plane and sandpaper (grit no less than 60).

Surface treatment.

The ends of the board must be treated with silicone in two layers, and the bottom surface must be covered with packing tape.

Be sure to check the plane using a building level.

Installation.

After installing the slab, all holes must be sealed with foam. When installing, do not forget about the level. The window table top must be level. If it has legs, they need to be screwed in advance.

Wait until the foam sets and foam the seams between the slopes and the window sill.

Facing.

The countertop can be finished with ceramic tiles. It should be laid with minimal gaps. The gaps can then be painted to match the color of the slabs.

As you can see, installing a countertop with your own hands is quite simple.

In total, the work takes several hours. Installing a product made of marble or stone is even easier, because they come ready-made. They just need to be installed on a concrete base near the window and carefully secured.

Design and shape

For a small kitchen, you can choose a folding table made from a window sill. It unfolds only for lunch, and the rest of the time it doesn’t interfere. For large families, a tabletop is installed that turns into a full-fledged table. The design is L-shaped. To ensure easy access to the kitchen set, designers offer different fancy shapes with all sorts of colors. The classic option is a rectangular window sill. In modern interiors, radius and semicircular options are often found.

The design of a small kitchen is based on a combination of light shades: cream, gray, light green, lilac. For a classic design, a white or blue surface of the headset is suitable. Wood or its imitation is used in country style. In modern and neoclassical styles, tables made of dark stone or wood look unusual. A glass plate decorated with thematic images will fit perfectly into the Mediterranean style.

Many manufacturers offer tables with photo printing. The user has the opportunity to select any image. You can, for example, place a collage of family photos on the tabletop.

Installation recommendations

The window sill-table in the room should not interfere with movement around the room and should perform all basic functions. When installing, you need to observe all the nuances: the distance to the radiator is at least 10 centimeters, the elbows rest easily on the surface.

First of all, the furniture panel is marked. The “face” is made with a large radius. To do this, one end of the string is fixed against the wall, a pencil is tied to the other, the rope is stretched and an arc is drawn on the pine surface in accordance with the radius of the room.

The bars are installed below, on which the tabletop will later be attached. The wood is thoroughly impregnated with an antiseptic, dried and glued to the beams.

After this you can start cutting. Long screws are screwed into the beams, and the edge of the shield is processed with a plane and emery.

During installation, the window sill-countertop in the kitchen is fixed to beams and metal bases. The profile is mounted at a right angle so that one side is attached to the wall, the other to the panel.

After installing the pine panel, the remaining opening is foamed. The surface of the table is puttied and painted. Two legs are placed under the structure, which are attached to the floor and at the base of the table.

The resulting tabletop can withstand the significant weight of books, computers, and flower pots. The room takes on an original, distinctive and finished look.

Useful tips for a small kitchen

In a small kitchen in a Khrushchev-era building, it is necessary to make the most of the space, so arranging a window sill under the dining table will be the best option. On the countertop you can prepare food, place small household appliances or pots with indoor plants. When choosing the material, shape and design of the headset, you should use the following recommendations:

Before purchasing furniture, you should take all measurements; you must leave enough space for free movement around the room;
the window sill table must have a single slab without joints or differences;
for an inexpensive set of chipboard or MDF, a simple plastic tabletop is suitable;
to visually expand the space, mirrored smooth surfaces are used, but a matte texture is considered more practical in operation;
in a small kitchen a massive slab made of natural stone would look inappropriate;
if the window sill is used as a dining table, it is better to place a decorative grille under the surface and not block the radiator with anything else;
You can install a small drawer in the table in which cutlery will be stored;
if you need additional space to store kitchen utensils, it is better to use open cabinets with shelves and make ventilation holes in the countertop.

If the kitchen design does not include open shelves, you will need to move the radiator to another wall. Also, if there is additional space, designers recommend extending the window sill. This way you can get a dining space and a functional work area.

Take all measurements before purchasing

The window sill table must have a single plate

Mirror smooth surfaces are used to visually expand the space.

Install additional drawers under the countertop

If you want to get a modern apartment, experiment!

Nowadays, with a large number of materials and design ideas, you only need to have money, desire and an apartment in order to make candy out of your home. Alternatively, you can use the window sill not only as a table, but also as a children’s corner (with a lot of toys and a secluded and safe place for your baby), as a library with shelves of books, and even as a folding part for an ironing board. Such a beautiful part of the interior can amaze you with its practicality.

At the same time, remaining, in fact, part of the element of the window structure, the window sill will prevent the penetration of cold into the apartment and prevent heat from leaving your room from the inside. As in the usual version, it will create convenience for washing glass and will allow you not to worry too much about a possible sudden breakdown, since the material for such a design is quite resistant to stress.

The easiest way to come up with a system for multifunctional use is from a PVC (polyvinyl chloride) profile. However, products made of wood, laminated MDF board or natural stone can also be used. The ease of using PVC profiles lies in the fact that, as a rule, such window sills are cut to order only at the installation site, and you can buy them in the form of long processed window sill boards (usually such sheets are of standard thickness and width).

Install the battery in the niche

This niche can be used as a place for a radiator, having previously insulated the wall with heat-insulating materials. If you place it in the depths of the free space, you can not only solve the problem of heating the apartment, but also significantly save space.

Plastic

The most affordable and popular option is plastic for making a table top combined with a window sill. Thanks to this design, an angular work surface is obtained. At the same time, the place near the window can be used in different ways: for cooking, as an area for storing various small items, or as a decorative area where the housewife keeps her favorite interior items.

Tabletop-window sill made of PVC, covered with a special decorative film

The plastic table top-window sill has the following properties:

moisture resistance;
thermal strength;
availability;
plastic is available in a wide variety of textures and colors, so every user will find an option to suit their taste.

This kitchen looks great in any color, but designers advise choosing a glossy acrylic surface. This is a classic option, not so easily soiled and goes well with decoration in any shade.

Work on mistakes

One of the main tasks of both the designer-planner and the craftsmen is to foresee all possible problems and avoid mistakes during work.

Convection failure

If there is a battery under the window, there is a risk of disruption of heat exchange in the room. The battery will heat not the air, but the material of the countertop, which can lead to a sharp drop in the temperature in the room and, in the most undesirable outcome, to the release of harmful substances from the same chipboard, and can also lead to such a nuisance as sweating of the windows.

Details

Selection of materials

Construction markets demonstrate a wide range of modern materials and technologies that make it possible to use a window sill as a table top. Various ready-made designs are presented in separate materials, taking into account the budget, selected color palette and style of finishing of the apartment.

Artificial stone - acrylic or agglomerate

Agglomerate for countertops is an excellent alternative to expensive granite. It has high strength and excellent appearance. When used, it will not stain other objects, does not wear out, and does not fade under the influence of the sun's rays. It also has a lot of weight, because additional structures need to be attached to ensure secure fastening. Acrylic is a much cheaper option, while artificial stone is available in a wide variety of colors and shapes on the market. This will make it possible to realize all creative ideas, and also has less weight and copes well with exposure to the sun and water. If damaged, it can be easily restored.

Natural stone - marble or granite

A window sill-countertop in a kitchen made of natural stone will bring exclusivity and status. Marble and granite countertops are the focal point of every kitchen. They are characterized by excellent wear resistance, and have almost no negative consequences from liquid ingress. This is ideal for a family of one or two people, but for a large number of people this option may not be convenient. Such furniture sets look elegant and do not require labor-intensive maintenance. For many years, the tabletop will retain its original beautiful appearance.

Helpful advice! Stone tables are ideal for large apartments. Otherwise, they will look bulky and visually take up free space.

Designers recommend paying attention to the fact that marble can be painted, and therefore it is better to give preference to granite. If the surface is damaged, it will need to be completely replaced, because local restoration will not solve the problem.

Chipboard or plastic

This option is rightfully considered the most budget-friendly, but it will be characterized by a minimum degree of strength. For this reason, the tabletop, as a replacement for the window sill, will become an exclusively decorative stand on which light accessories can be placed. Most people like to install countertops because it allows them to enjoy the view from the window while cooking. The most reliable materials include chipboard, which is perfect for a bar table by the window in the kitchen. It is recommended to buy tiles with a moisture-resistant treatment. It is worth noting that plastic stains quickly when exposed to liquids that stain it (wine, coffee and fresh juices). Even if the processing is poor, swelling will form due to exposure to moisture.

MDF or wood

Such a product in the kitchen is made of wood (special or natural MDF with PVC coating or plastic). They will not emit negative components because they are considered safe for the human body. They are also ways to demonstrate an excellent appearance, which will add comfort and coziness to the living area. If you have a large window opening with a beautiful view, then it is worth attaching a small table to it - it can be used both as a dining table and as an additional option. This material can be easily restored and coated with impregnation/varnish to achieve an elegant appearance. But there is one caveat - if it is exposed to moisture for a long time, fungus will begin to appear and the wood will swell. During use, defects will still appear - cracks, stains and scratches. The decoration of the table under the window should be made of hardwood. They interact well with high levels of humidity, and are not so much damaged by mechanical impacts.

Arrangement options

The kitchen and countertop instead of a window sill can be decorated in an unusual way. We invite you to consider each unique design idea.

Functionality

Making a real tabletop from an ordinary window sill will make it possible to expand the kitchen space, and in particular the work area. The room is not cluttered with unnecessary things, and the hostess will have the opportunity to prepare food with a beautiful view. The room will be full of natural light, which has a beneficial effect on vision.

Comfort

Most often, a wide counter is used as an alternative to a table. But it is possible to design it in a more unusual modification - corner, folding and U-shaped. All the proposed projects are not difficult to complete, the main thing is to select the top surface and equip it with the necessary components (underframe and supports).

Window sill with built-in sink

For most housewives, this is the most desirable option, but it is not as easy to implement as the other mentioned projects. After all, when designing a work area, you need to think about how to route the pipeline to that place. There are also some nuances, for example, insufficiently large window slopes, which can lead to regular splashing of the glass, as well as difficulties when opening windows. For this reason, you should be careful when preparing a plan to implement your idea.

Window sill as a place to relax

This unusual approach is considered a classic option for American-style houses. Designers can turn a window sill into a narrow sofa. A surface made of a very durable material, which will be covered with dense material, that is, padding polyester, is perfect. You can complement the interior with bright pillows. It will be nice to drink tea or coffee here and gaze into the distance at the landscapes.

With small storage system

This variation makes it possible to store all kitchen appliances not only on top, but also to hide them under the countertop. To do this, you should make a cabinet instead of or near the radiator. Designers propose to build in small open shelves into which small household appliances, towels, cups or other items will be placed. Modern solutions make it possible to successfully place such a structure even in an ordinary Khrushchev-era building, and even in a large classic house.

Window sill as a dining table

It is designed in the same way as a bar counter, but with the only difference – such a tabletop makes it wide and stable. This is required in order to support the massive weight and accommodate all family members. This is a great solution for small kitchens or studios where you want to free up space as much as possible.

Placement of window sill-table top

Today you can come across many ideas for placing a worktop under the windows, which are important to talk about separately.

Corner

When placing a kitchen set near a window opening, it is recommended to combine a table and a window sill in the form of a corner variation. It looks harmonious and stylish.

Which countertop to choose

New technologies have made materials more durable, and designers have come up with such a convenient thing as a single countertop for all kitchen cabinets. This allows you to solve several problems at once:

the working surface increases, which is important for the kitchen, the table simply becomes larger without taking up more space;
the adverse effects of moisture and other reagents on the joints of the product are minimized, which contributes to its longer service life;
it became possible to massively use new materials, such as artificial stone and glass.

Different materials are used to make a window sill-tabletop:

fake diamond;
agglomerate;
natural stone;
wood;
stainless steel;
plastic;
MDF;
Chipboard.

Let's look at the popular options and compare the operating features.

Economy option

Chipboard or MDF is the most budget option. Chipboard provides a wide range of applications in different styles, shapes and colors. This is achieved through surface lamination. As a result, it becomes impermeable to moisture, quite easy to maintain and has, thanks to special films. Green chipboard indicates its moisture resistance. A wide range of options: wood, stone, tile. If installed correctly, the window will last quite a long time.

materials

Typical shortcomings that may appear over time:

fear of moisture - despite the protective top layer, if water gets into the end or edge of the slab, the process of its deformation will begin;
temperature effect;
low resistance to mechanical damage;
If deformation occurs, the product made of DSM or MDF cannot be repaired.

Modern artificial materials

Artificial stone is a more economical version of its natural counterpart. Made to look like granite and marble. Artificial stone looks good in kitchen design and has good user qualities. Today it is considered one of the most popular. Acrylic stone countertops have earned popularity largely due to their convenience and durability.

In terms of strength, a countertop made of artificial stone is comparable to work surfaces made of natural stone, however, even a scratch that appears on it under increased impact can be easily sanded down, thanks to the greater viscosity of the material than that of stone. The same property protects acrylic surfaces from possible chipping.