Ideas please for this awkward deep window sill

[Sarcelle]

We are having our kitchen done soon, long overdue. Just by the sink we have a window. It is deep. It is tiled to match the rest of the kitchen (it was like that when we moved in). What can we do with this. My DH says it will have to be tiles again with the same tiles we choose for the walls, but I would like to do something else. I also think we will be constrained to a similar size tile as before which I don't want.

We are going for oak finish worktop, and oak floor and I suggested that we could maybe try and get an extra piece of worktop and do something creative. DH did not think it would work. Or something else.

Fitter is coming tomorrow evening, love some ideas for when he comes. Or have you got a similar wide kitchen sill, and what is it like.

There is a windowsill like that in a property we've stayed in a few times. Looking at pictures we've taken it looks like they have a big stone slab in there. The worktops are some kind of granite so the stone works well there.

I think an oak slab would work very nicely if your worktops are going to be oak too.

I would put the worktop surfacing in it.

Oak worktop on horizontal sill.
Not sure about the sliver of wall between the real worktop and sill

We have a deep windowsill and we put the slate tiles we have on the floor on it. We also have slate tiles as a splash back on the walls but they're small and I wanted something else on the windowsill. It works well as they're the same colour scheme.

I have found this image, tiles not my cuppa tea and the window is shallower but wider but I think the worktop idea is much better than just retiling. Because it is so deep it is hard to keep clean, you have to kneel on the work surface. The wood would be much easier.

I will get my way on this, I will!

Horizontal tiles are a pain to keep clean as gunk settles on the grout.
Wood worktop you could wipe it with a damp cloth wrapped round a wooden spoon.

I wouldn't put the worktop on it, it's too deep (IMO) and you wouldn't expect to see oak worktop on what is clearly a windowsill.

I definitely wouldn't tile the upstanding walls to the side ever, that's a really odd idea and I think it makes the area look odd as it suggests water splash back in a place where there is no water (a windowsill). The current tiles look sad, cheap (sorry) and industrial.

I think the most stylish options are a wooden painted solid windowsill (probably what was there originally or as close to it - do you know what lives under the tiles? If original wood it's probably knackered by now and if stone I'd try and restore - I can't tell the age of your property as the windows are new but the depth of the window reveal looks old) and properly done by a carpenter, with a rolled edge (not a cheap piece of MDF painted up),

Or a decorative tiled surface rather than plain - tiles which are very beautiful (not your average available from DIY store patterned kitchen/bathroom tiles) which are clearly expensive and unusual, handmade look and highly detailed etc rather than a cheap printed pattern. As it's a small area it wouldn't cost too much even if the tiles are ££.

But not the oak worktop. Sorry

Just white painted windowsill boarding would go best I think.

Could you use it as a seat and make a cushion for it?

I would use wood otherwise, but not thick worktop, just normal 1" sill depth wood in nice oak with a small decorative upstand around it?

I have no idea what is under there, inherited tiling which I have always hated. The grouting does get dirty, you have to kneel on a draining board to clean it.

We are only now getting around to doing the kitchen and this is an annoying part of it. I live in a flat, about 20 years old. Top floor - the top floor is bigger than the rest of the building hence the deep windowsill.

Couldn't convert to a seat unless I wanted to put my feet in the sink!

The picture I attached has a worktop on the sill, albeit it is not deep. I don't think that looks too odd???

I think worktop would look much better than tiles, flat tiles look very dated.

You can get glass with lighting underneath. It would depend on what the rest of the kitchen is going to look like.

Sarcelle the pic you attached gets away with it more because the tile colour tones used blend into the wood effect work surface. The brown-toned tiles help knit the two areas (windowsill and worktop) together. Also it's a thin windowsill. It's perfectly pleasant and acceptable in that pic, but it still looks like what it is- work surface on a windowsill, where you'd expect to see just windowsill.

Your windowsill is so deep it's not far off the depth of an actual work surface which is why I think might look a little odd and how it differs to the pic. However like a PP said, it depends on the rest of the kitchen.

When the worktop is in place, you could always get a roll of wood effect sticky back paper in a similar shade to your oak worktop to place on the tiles (not stick) so you can get an idea of what the visual effect would be before committing. Or, if the worktop you get isn't vastly expensive then order a piece for the windowsill anyway, but only apply it if you really love it.

My normal sized windowsill is the same as the worktops and upstands - white quartz. It gives a continuous, elegant (in my opinion ) look to a very small kitchen.

Do you ever open that window? If not, go for some astroturf and a herb garden

I would go for this type of look.

bhaktilocator.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/deep-window-sill-deep-window-sill-in-kitchen-deep-window-sill-blinds.jpg

Due to the window being so deep I think putting oak on it might be a bit too overpowering. A plain white window sill would tone it down. Matching your kitchen counters to the window sill only looks good when the sill is a lot narrower. I wouldn't tile it either - paint the walls whatever colour the rest of the kitchen will be.

Plain white window sill. Lots and lots of plants there, a big Japanese peace lilly, a ficus, some succulents, some herbs.

I have one similar in my lounge
I also have three cats
It is now a giant cat bed...
(although with nice cushions so looks like a window seat)

Of just remove the tiles, get it replastered and then paint it to match the walls. Display some nice plants.