Kitchen worktops and low windows

[SilenzioBruno]

Please talk to me about creative kitchen solutions for windows that are lower than the height of the worktops. Mine is a good 15 cm below desirable worktop height.

It’s a small kitchen so I can’t afford not to put something in front of the window space wise. It’s also right where the plumbing and drains are.

I don’t expect it to be very affordable to change the size of the window opening, but we are aiming to replace the cracked single pane casement with something a bit more airtight…(!) Currently the worktop runs past the window with a bit of a backsplash sticking up, and then there is a recessed window sill where a few plant pots sit. Is this the best way??

We have this and have been talking about putting in smaller windows so I will be watching for ideas with interest

Hm, remember seeing the suggestion of creating a child-height worktop or a window seat level with a low sill somewhere or other, but I guess that’s more of a feature if you have tons of space? Not sure I could fit a sink elsewhere than along that bit of wall…

Splash back (inch perhaps) to stop and liquids and mess getting down there, then use the windowsill for pot plants and herb garden?

I would change the sill height of the window. Apparently that's not a huge cost - have been looking into changing window sizes for a property we're considering to buy. It costs a lot more if you're changing the width; the height is a lot more straightforward.

Honestly, changing the height of the window sill won't cost that much. Maybe a couple of hundred quid? We had a window opening over our staircase moved up the wall by about two feet for £800, but that was a much bigger piece of work as it involved a scaffold tower, moving the lintel above the window, and replastering the inside wall (which you may well be having anyway if you're getting the kitchen gutted?).

We had a similar problem so were going to do this. Didn’t in the end as moved house, but loved this idea so much.

www.sustainablekitchens.co.uk/bespoke-kitchens/loft-kitchen/

we have this on the window behind the main length of worktop and i got my fitter to put a piece of worktop cut to just over the worktop height and use is facing out towards the window with maybe 1/2 an inch over the height of the worktop to stop things sliding off onto the window sill

Thanks for the suggestions. Those who changed the window height, did you have to get a builder in? Aside from cost I doubt anyone would want such a tiny job on its own?

We made our window smaller, there’s plenty of light in our new kitchen, so it’s not been a problem. We needed to replace the double glazing anyway, and the cost of the building work plus the smaller window was cheaper than replacing the large window. The guy doing the window brought along his own builder, who also plastered the inside to match the rest of the wall.

Ooh interesting. The window is pretty small to begin with, but we’re having the single glaze replaced with upvc so maybe the glazier can help us sort it out…