When renovations begin in a room, you want it to be cozy and functional. This is especially true for apartments with small spaces. An excellent solution in this situation would be to transform the window sill into a table. Such space equipment is gaining popularity. Therefore, a room with a window-sill table will add unusual and modern details to the interior of any apartment.
Often the design is supplemented with cabinets or shelves on both sides. Then the freed up space can be used at the discretion of the home owners.
Advantages and disadvantages of a built-in table in the window sill
Any subject or action will always find its fans and skeptics. Reviews can be either positive or highly critical.
The design has both positive and negative sides.
Objectively, the following advantages of such a table can be identified:
- practical use of square meters of the room;
- significantly transforms the interior of the house - novelty and individuality;
- creating a structure near a window is an opportunity to use natural light for work or study;
- the ability to build various original design projects, focusing on this device.
There are many advantages to using a window sill as a table.
Important! Such countertops have proven themselves well in small apartments. For example, a desk converted from a window sill saves living space as much as possible.
In a small room, a desk on the windowsill will save a lot of space.
Design disadvantages:
- some owners complain about the inability to use conventional curtains;
- the circulation of warm air from the radiators becomes more difficult (this is a controversial point; if you make the countertop correctly, there will be no problems with heat supply).
With this design you will have to abandon conventional curtains.
Additional Information. For table-window sills you need to select special curtains (Roman), and you can also find suitable blinds on the market.
Either Roman shades or blinds will do.
Choosing the right option
What there cannot be in homemade window sill table designs is uniformity. Any drawing is only suitable for a better understanding of the proposed idea, because too many factors influence the final result. The slightest change in the shape or size of a window, room, or tabletop entails amendments to the design.
It is necessary to decide whether the window-sill table will be stationary, or whether it is better to make it folding. In conditions of an acute shortage of free space, the second option is preferable. The owner of a good-quality wooden frame, which is an example of durability, should also think about creating a folding structure. Why break out the window sill? It would be more practical to attach a tabletop that folds down on hinges.
Rice. 4. Folding table-window sill in the kitchen
Some general tips for the home handyman:
- Making a life-size template of it (use cardboard for this purpose) will help you avoid making mistakes in the shape and size of the window-sill table. Insert the cut cardboard into the window opening and clearly see that your choice is correct.
- The wall side must be impregnated with silicone sealant.
- The end of the table top must be protected with a PVC edge.
- It is advisable to provide ventilation holes in the window-sill table for warm air rising from the heating radiator. For this purpose, select a decorative plastic grille.
- Adjustable chrome-plated stands will do the job of legs perfectly.
Characteristics of a table combined with a window sill
Sometimes large families live in small apartments, and functional arrangement of the nursery is a necessity to create a cozy atmosphere. Window sill desk tops save a lot of space in homes. It is convenient for teenagers to exercise near the window, and in addition, sports training can be carried out in the rest of the room.
A table on the windowsill is very convenient in children's and teenage rooms.
There are a great many types of this design:
- Desk-desk and work. It can be used not only by children, but also by adults. Especially convenient for people working remotely.
- Toilet fixture. For small objects - an excellent option. Access to natural light is a major plus for small spaces.
- Folding bed or transformer. Probably the design that saves the most quadrature.
- Kitchen. There are many models here: from rectangle to oval.
- Bar counter. A suitable place for parties and looks great in apartments with a modern style.
Color solutions
Since the window sill table is part of the interior composition of the room to which it belongs, the color combination should also be chosen comprehensively, placing emphasis on other large furniture. There are several principles for choosing colors:
- In neutral-colored interiors, the countertop can become a bright accent.
- If eye-catching details in the surroundings are unnecessary, the optimal solution would be to choose the color of the table by analogy with some other large piece of furniture: a kitchen set, a wardrobe, a bed, a corner sofa or a storage system.
- You can also choose a color to match your wall decoration for wallpaper, ceramic tiles, plaster, paint or decorative panels.
- Under textile furniture - curtains, tulle, blinds, carpet.
However, the safest option is to choose a tone-on-tone countertop color with the window frame.
What materials can it be made from?
The following materials are used to produce table window sills:
Plastic
If a person chooses such products, he can hope for: affordable prices, extreme ease of installation, a huge selection of tones. Also, this material is absolutely simple for household care. But plastic has a more fragile structure than wood, mechanical damage is possible.
Plastic is the most accessible material, but it is susceptible to damage.
Tree
Environmental friendliness, accessibility, aesthetic appearance. The main thing is not to use wood in the kitchen, constant steam emissions, etc. do not have a very good effect on the wood structure, even after all kinds of impregnations.
Wood is an environmentally friendly material, but it is better to use it not in the kitchen.
Natural stone
Absolute reliability and safety, an interesting design solution that is suitable for some styles (Eco or marine atmosphere countertops for Provence). Disadvantages: too heavy weight and high cost.
Stone is the most durable material, but it is heavy and has a high cost.
Note. The color scheme of the coating should be selected to match the style of the entire room or home.
Advice for a beginner or what should you pay attention to?
- Plastic windows, like window sills, and therefore plastic tabletops, will cost the least.
- When ordering a stone, check its condition upon delivery before installation.
- The fastenings, if the window sills are suspended, must be strong.
- If you decide to use glass materials, make sure they are lightweight and can withstand heavy loads.
- Be careful with the marble (don't spill drinks on it).
- Leave labor-intensive work, as well as measurements, to specialists.
- A chipboard tabletop may swell. As a rule, moisture-resistant boards are distinguished by markings and a special green or blue pigment. But even water-resistant countertops will swell if left in water for a long time.
- Plastic is more heat-resistant and abrasion-resistant. It is better to take one that is done under high pressure.
- Seamless gluing technology allows you to experiment with artificial stone. A variety of colors of artificial stone - up to 100 shades.
- Artificial stone based on acrylic resins is more expensive, while those based on polyester are cheaper.
So, are you ready to replace your kitchen countertop with a window sill table? Then you can calculate the possible options. The choice is yours!
- Author: Mikhail Malofeev
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How to make a table from a window sill?
The decision to make a structure from a window sill that goes into a table may coincide with renovations in the room or replacement of windows.
Remaking the window sill under the table can be combined with the renovation of the room.
Recommendations for work:
- Creation of a project, selection of materials.
- Preparation of consumables: screws, sealants and foam, pipes or other metal products, etc.
- Drawing graphic outlines, cutting out contours (don't forget about the holes for heat circulation), constructing the main prototype.
- Installation of the structure near the window.
- Fastening the legs, filling the free space with foam (we connect the joints with sealant).
There are many types of countertops, and most craftsmen also have their own unusual options. Most often, such countertops are made for children or teenagers.
The tabletop on the windowsill can be of almost any shape.
In the children's room
A student is more suited to a table without corners, which occupies the entire wall perimeter. The project needs to provide bedside tables and shelves for textbooks, notebooks, writing instruments and personal belongings. For children of primary school age, a monolithic, classic and safest structure is suitable.
A table with drawers and shelves for school supplies is suitable for schoolchildren.
In a teenager's room
Combining a window sill with a table in a teenager’s room is an acceptable modification for modern boys and girls. For them, the table may differ in length from the children's table. Young people use electronic gadgets more; a place for this needs to be provided. The creation of this structure will give you the opportunity to feel free in your room, “uncluttered” with unnecessary objects.
For a teenager, a long table with space for gadgets is suitable.
Traditions of the 21st century - maximum savings in residential space and its practical use; pragmatism has replaced wastefulness. The table and window sill most clearly characterize this trend. Forget about the old stands for flowerpots, create a comfortable and functional tabletop in your home, which is also very stylish for modern design!
Preparing for work
In general, in a room, a table should always be located near a window so that the person sitting behind it receives enough light. Sometimes there is simply nowhere to put bulky work tables, and the area by the window, as a rule, should remain free in order to care for flowers and so on. A window sill-tabletop is an excellent solution for those people who know how to properly organize space and create an original design for their living space.
Making a table out of a window sill is quite simple if you approach the work correctly. On the site we have collected a fairly large number of photos and videos on this topic, from which you can highlight the most important points for yourself.
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Remember that heating devices are often located under the windows and before making a window sill, you should take this fact into account.
Now, to supply warm air, decorative holes are cut out in the tabletop, which do not interfere with the constant flow.
If you want the window sill to be like a table, then you should think about increasing its size. Sitting with your feet against the wall is uncomfortable, so the tabletop should be slightly modified. Also a good option for increasing the working surface is a folding tabletop.
Window sill with folding table top