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Height of windows behind sink...

14 years ago

Our clean up sink will be centered on 3 large casement windows. The question is how low would you put the windows? I'm short-5'2" and I do most of the cleaning. All the kitchens I have lived in the windows start at about a foot above the counter. Although this offer nice light, I have never been able to look out into the yard. Here are the options:

1. Windows sitting on the counter- but is this a problem for wood windows? Will water damage them? there will be 4' casing around the windows, would it look wierd without the sill?

2. 4 inches about counter so that the casing/sill can be included- but again will there be water damage to the wood?

3. 6 inches about counter- I really want to create the feeling of openess to the yard. At 6 inches about the counter- it might be hard to look out if you're sitting at the island for example.

Pictures would be great. I am planning on doing a little sink bump out to increase the distance from the faucet to the wall. Also there is no backsplash- just drywall.

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Comments (9)

letter100
14 years ago
Have you read the linked thread? It includes a lot of great ideas and the description of my low wooden window with 4 inch trim and no bump out.

Here is a link that might be useful: Read this
pinch_me
14 years ago
mine will be really low, too, unless we move it up.......IF there's room. I thought I might tile the sill with my backsplash tile.
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sounds like a great idea, but I can tell you that I only had a sliding glass door in my kitchen before we remodeled, and I hated not having a window whenever I needed a small amount of air. I also would be concerened how the peninsula would look from the porch when you have the glass doors closed. Unless the doors can be stacked to one side of the opening and windows made over the peninsula stacked to the other side. I don't know if that would give you the best of both worlds? Just a thought.
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we currently have a raised garden window, and I love it, EXCEPT my backsplash is right up against my sink, and the grout/caulking there is always black. I have painstakingly recaulked twice, and last time used 100% silicone, with a thick layer, and it still is starting to look black. In our new house, I decided I didn't care how it looked, I would lower the window to have one piece of granite flowing into it, so I would never have to caulk the kitchen again! The only think I'd say is that you should try to get a tall one. Ours will be 3'6" tall, I think, and the current one is 3' tall, and looking at the new one, I could have gone with a taller one. Oh well, still worth it, to not have to caulk again!
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I have a big picture window behind my sink and I wouldn't trade it for anything! It's about 5 inches above counter, but when we reno I want to raise the countertops a couple of inches (I'm 5'9"). I'd love to bump it out 6 or 8 inches, but these windows were just installed a couple of years ago and I know there won't be budget for that. I'd also bring them down to the countertops, but that too won't be happening either. Windows behind the sink get splashed, but a quick swipe takes care of the worst of it. I climb up on the counter about once a month and give them a good wash and wipe. To my mind, that's a small price to pay for the enjoyment they give me everyday watching goofy golfers, blue herons, coyotes, foxes, ducks, geese, eagles, and hawks. Lauraxx, your plan sounds great--go for it!! I don't think you'll ever be sorry you put in that great window. Get low-e windows and you won't be bothered by heat coming through them. The low-e windows have made an amazing difference in our house.
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I agree, if those are your only two options, then pull the cabinets out at least 3" to give you more space. However, if you are willing to change the window(s), I think another option is to bump out the window 9 inches (or more) so you have an alcove - and then make the window counter-height (assuming the things you want to put on the sill will also work on the counter behind the faucet.) Unfortunately, when you replaced your faucet, you ran into one of the issues with a non-counter-height window behind a sink - not all faucets will fit! See the thread below for some examples of counter-height windows. Of particular note are MamaDadaPaige and ErikaNH's windows. You could also do a combination - pull the cabinets 3" from the wall and bumpout the window by 6 to 9 inches - the best of both worlds! :-) Counter-Height Window thread: http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2484108/counter-height-window-pictures-please .
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Circus Peanut
14 years ago
We were working with old 1920's windows, so not quite the same scenario, but we did set our new counters in so that we had about 3.5" of space between counter and sill. This was just enough to slip in one row of 3x6 subway tile in, and we love the effect. Sills are still close enough to be very useful (herb pots, sponges, etc), but high enough not to get many splashes. Splashes hit the tile, which just wipes off.
pps7
Original Author
14 years ago
Thank you for the responses. Letter100 that link was great! We are not doing a backplash- so there will be drywall coming down to the counter.

Our sink will bump out similar to this picture:
http://i670.photobucket.com/albums/vv61/labradoodlemom/100_2435.jpg

I'm wondering having the countertop extend as the window sill will give the most space behind the sink and the most protection againt splashes. Like this:

http://i558.photobucket.com/albums/ss27/croylelundin/P1080808.jpg
Circus Peanut
14 years ago
Here's one I've always really liked, with the tiled-shelf-as-windowsill idea:
erikanh
14 years ago
Since you have trouble seeing out your windows now, counter height windows seem like a great choice for you. I think your plan to pull the sink forward a little will help with the splashing issue. We actually bumped out or windows 6 inches to give even more room behind the faucet. The countertop runs all the way into the window area.

Here's what it looks like from outside:
Buehl
14 years ago
Here are a couple of threads that discuss counter-height windows:

Thread: counter height window pictures please
http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg0217570926165.html

Thread: Window to counter [asks if anyone regrets their counter-height window]
http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg0500335028368.html

Here is a link that might be useful: Thread: counter height window pictures please
nhbaskets
14 years ago
We have a 6' triple casement window over our sink. It sits approximately 6" above the countertop. When they were doing the granite template, our GC suggested running the granite the full height to the window and adding a granite windowsill. It turned out to be one of my favorite things in the kitchen. Our windowsill is 5.5" deep.

I am also vertically challenged at 5'2", but find I have no problems with seeing out my window, whether I'm standing at the sink or sitting at the nearby island.
kathleenca
14 years ago
pps7, I had the sink window sitting at the counter in the kitchen remodel in my previous house without any problems. It was popped out a little like like erikanh's; I love the look of space behind the faucet. I was impressed with how much more light there was on the counters - a boon because the room had been very dark.

In this house the window over the sink is 3 inches above the counter like circuspeanut's. I haven't had any problems with water on the wood windows.

Being able to see out is always important to me & I know you will enjoy it.

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