I’m working out the plan for my upcoming kitchen redo, and the one obstacle is that the perfect place for the sink is under the window. The only problem being that the window is low… 30-32″ floor to sill, something like that.
A number of folks have suggested building the counter right across in front of the window. This would definitely be good for the budget and ‘to do’ list, but for all the “I’ve seen’s” and “A buddy of mine’s”, nobody’s been able to post any pictures or references where I might be able to see what others have done, and I’m having a bit of trouble visualizing something that doesn’t look slapped together.
I’m refurbishing all of the windows in the house, and I’d like to keep the kitchen window too – that’s why I’m exploring this option.
Any ideas, references, pictures?
thanx
Replies
Only my opinion, fueled by experience.
Don't do it!
From the outside it will look crazy!
From the outside you will see all the dust, debris, scrubbies, lost utensils and kitchen food debris.
Operating the window will be next to impossible and cleaning will be a challenge.
I assume it is a double hung so the center sash stiles will probably be in your line of site.
A nice casement(s) or awning, or stationary unit set above the countertop with room to trim will serve a lot better.
The down side is addressing the revision of the exterior siding.
..............Iron Helix
I say do it.
I've got a pic of it done on an old house; let me find it.
Another idea is to remove and shorten the lower sash; cutting down the glass as well; build a new sill on top of / integrated with the backsplash. Add a trim panel outside.
Forrest
I dont like the idea of counter top going past a low window, sorta looks like someone couldnt come up with a good idea to me.
I'd prefer to either change the window or drop the counter top down and a lower base cabinet with drawers - never seen a countertop go past a window that I've liked yet but...........
Doug
I don't have any pictures, but I've seen this done where a well was created in the counter top -must have been a little deeper top than normal or the sink was not as deep as normal. - and potted plants were set down in it. There was about a 4"-5" height discrepancy. The well was about 6" from the sash.
http://grantlogan.net/
I was born in a crossfire hurricane..........shooby dooby do
That idea perfect as a bread dough kneading center...
'course you'd have to start making sourdough every week. ;-)"Fortunately, the ideas of individual liberty, private property, freedom of contract and association, personal responsibility and liability, and government power as the primary enemy of liberty and property, will not die out as long as there is a human race, simply because they are true and the truth supports itself."
Hans-Hermann Hoppe
'course you'd have to start making sourdough every week.
Might not be a bad thing...........http://grantlogan.net/
I was born in a crossfire hurricane..........shooby dooby do
Nope.. having some right now."Fortunately, the ideas of individual liberty, private property, freedom of contract and association, personal responsibility and liability, and government power as the primary enemy of liberty and property, will not die out as long as there is a human race, simply because they are true and the truth supports itself."
Hans-Hermann Hoppe
I saw this problem delt with in a historic renovation. The solution: they made a copper lined planter and cut the counter back so the planter came into the conter space a few inches. That way it looked like it was thought out before hand. It looked good IMO.
I've done this; it's supposed to be temporary, but we'll be living with it for a while. The eventual plan is to lower the entire kitchen floor, which would bring the countertop to window sill level. That will be part of a major remodelling when we expand the kitchen, move the laundry room, etc.
In the meantime, we find this very exceptable.
This isn't the best photo to show the interior settup, but basically the lowest three panes of the 9-over-6 window are behind the backsplash and countertop. The vertical window trim pieces butt directly onto the top of the backsplash. I'll get a better photo if you want:
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From the outside, it looks OK. A flat-black panel on the backside of the backsplash and cabinet make it disappear. In this photo, we have a Christmas candle set on the sill behind the cabinet:
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Let me know if you want to see better photos. That window, by the way, I built in my shop ... matching the muntin profiles of original windows in the house, and using antique cylinder glass. I replaced a crank-out window that was nicely positioned ABOVE the counter. But THAT looked A LOT worse from the exterior.
Allen
Wow Thanks for the replies!WNYguy - I saw your pic when I did a search here and it lead to my posting. I'd love to see a detail shot or two of what you did.McDesign - If you can find a pic that would be great too.reinvent/seeyou - I've thought of extending the well into the counter a couple of inches. I think it would make it look a bit more thought out. I'm planning on having the counter at the sink pushed out a bit at the front anyway.ironhelix/dougu - I have had my reservations - I've also considered chopping the sashes to bring them in line, but with a brick exterior I'm thinking anything other than rebricking a modified window will look a bit wonky too.A bit more info: the window is 40Wx60H, and the surface of the sill is 32" off the floor. Any well would only be about 6-8" deep, so I'm not too worried about losing the roast pan down there. The windows that I've fixed up already slide like butter, so I'm not worried about opening. The way the house sits, any exterior modifications would be visible from the street, but anything inside you'd really only see if you're sitting on the neighbour's roof.
"I've thought of extending the well into the counter a couple of inches. I think it would make it look a bit more thought out. I'm planning on having the counter at the sink pushed out a bit at the front anyway."
I think those are excellent ideas. I'm sure you'll come up with something that looks planned, appropriate and well-designed.
Our situation is temporary, so we didn't worry too much about it. We just ran the inexpensive laminate counter and backsplash straight across in front of the window. Even so, it doesn't look all that bad:
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Allen
Thanks for the pic!
Sink in front of low window?
I see this thread but not the photos, WNYguy. Can you repost them? We're working on this same problem and I'd love to see examples of solutions!
I'm not home now, so I can't tell you which one, but one of Sarah Susanka's books ( i.e. the Not So Big House author) has a photo of a sink in front of a low window.
That is not really too low...you might just consider a shorter sink base.
Here is a pic of a really low kitchen window:
I'm actually raising the counters... 6'3" makes a 32" sink height kinda hard on the back... :)
32" sink height????? Is that common in old houses?
BTW - not sure if you are concerned, but are you going to be able to meet NEC requirements for outlets in the kitchen counter top area? I'm thinking it is every 3' but not sure...
32" sink height is what it would have to be to fit under the window... it's 34" now and I'm looking at 36-38" for final height.Here's a sketch of what I'm faced with. Green walls are exterior. Proposed sink placement is red X. North wall presents problems running the drain from the sink due to furnace etc. in the basement.The pantry is really just a closet, but it does the job. Currently the sink is on the 4'1" wall beside the dining room door, and all my counter space is between there and the pantry, with the fridge in the SW corner and the stove in the middle of the N wall. The kick out in the SE corner is the chimney, which I'm hoping is brick behind the current wall covering.I'm thinking the stove in the E wall between the pantry and the brick with a little prep sink where the main sink is now, either leave the fridge where it is now or move it to tne N wall, and of course the sink under the window.Anything I'm not seeing here?