Windows have been handled two ways...one way is as you describe, a raised window sill with backsplash or granite running up the raised area to the sill. The other way is to lower the sill to be flush with the countertop and running the granite into the window.

These threads have examples of the first:

window pass-through from kitchen to outside (?deck?)

Corner Sink...advice and or rules?

Low granite backsplash or full tiled with Costa Esmeralda granite

These threads have examples of the second:

Show Me Your Pictures of Bay Windows at the Kitchen Sink, Please!

Counter Height Windows Love them? Hate them?

Coleen3201118's Kitchen

Another thing you can do is go through the Finished Kitchens Blog. Most kitchens have windows and you can probably see how they were handled.

HTH!

Here is a link that might be useful: Finished Kitchens Blog

This isn't exactly what you're looking for but similar, I think. We have a 4" stone backsplash that runs up to the window topped by a sill of stone. Our installer suggested making the stone thicker under the window so that it stands out (by stepping out) from the rest of the backsplash (I've forgotten the actual measurements, but something like the backsplash stone being 3/4" thick and then jutting out to 1" thick under the window (or maybe it was 1/2" and 1".) I'm not sure if it shows up well in the pictures.

I'm glad we chose the stone sills since I tend to splash a lot. The paint on our old sills always looked bad from water sitting on them.

{{gwi:1570741}}

{{!gwi}}

Just got done looking at wonbyherwits' lovely kitchen, and studying just that detail.

Here is a link that might be useful: Granite window sill

we have full backsplash (17-18"?).

sorry it is not a close-up, but gives a good idea how it looks like:

Buehl - Thanks for the links & ideas for searches. I did see the threads on making the window level with the countertop & love that look. Maybe in our next remodel? (I think DH would shoot me, LOL!)

Zelmar - I had never thought of making the granite up to the window THICKER then the rest of the backsplash. That does step it up a bit! It looks really nice. Thanks for the idea!

Salviastreet - thanks for the link. I did see wonbyherwits pictures the other day. She has a beautiful kitchen! Unfortunately my window ledge is not as deep as hers so I was not sure if it would work for me?

Yanalg - Your granite is awesome ~ a lot of movement. Thanks for the pic!

I can post a picture on Thursday bc they are installing the granite then. My GC put in a new window and the stone is supposed to go right up to the bottom of the window. There is just about 1/4" clearance when you turn the handle to open the window. I stuck the sample granite in there to see how it would look and it's just what I had envisioned. I don't think you would be able to get as tight a fit if you ran the granite up to the window itself as you do when it goes up to the window frame.

Thanks Fran!

Are you putting all one granite? The reason I ask is I was looking at some pics & noticed some ledges were a different color granite.

Our sink is going to be the super single Silgranit in black so I was toying with the idea of putting a darker granite on the ledge... our counter granite is (tentatively) Giallo Veneziano.

Anyway, I appreciate all the great ideas & pictures. This place has been such a wonderful resource for this DIY kitchen designer! ;-)

JoAnn

JT....are you at the point where you cannot make any additional structural changes? We were pleasantly surprised at how affordable it was to make the structural changes necessary. We are actually raising our bay window up to counter level, which means a new bay window plus building up the interior & exterior walls. We were afraid it was going to be a "budget buster" but it actually turned out to be less than half what we thought it would be AND it will be done in one day!

i know this is very delayed but I wanted to post these pics for the archives because I didn't see many photos of what using granite near windows and wall edges would look like.