How to Beautifully and Practical Decorate a Windowsill: 8 Successful Ideas

Plastic windowsills are not the most practical to use: they easily get scratched, can fade and yellow from direct sunlight, and some stains are hard to remove from their surface. In addition, in most cases they do not match the visual style of modern interiors or those with classic or retro elements.

Designers replace plastic windowsills with options made from natural and durable materials, and in some cases turn them into a place for rest, a desk or a bar counter. We show how this looks in practice.

Windowsill from Oak Panels

To create a cozy atmosphere with a countryside vibe in this Khrushchyovka, the designer used only natural materials for finishing. Wooden windows were installed, and the windowsills and sills were made from oak panels. The wooden frame echoes with kitchen cabinets and adds a noble look to the space.

Photo: Natalia Lenda's design project

Windowsill from Pink Marble

The interior of this 45 sq m St. Petersburg studio is filled with interesting details that reflect the owner's love for Paris. One of such accents is a windowsill in the bedroom made from solid pink marble. The windowsill looks beautiful and interesting in the interior, so it doesn't need to be covered with curtains. It's convenient to use as a shelf — place a lamp, arrange decor.

Photo: Masha Bondarenko's design project

Accent Window Frame from Tiles

An interesting feature of this two-room flat in a Khrushchyovka is the decoration of window openings and windowsills with bright ceramic granite with a terrazzo pattern. Ceramic granite is strong, resistant to moisture and temperature fluctuations, so it will last a very long time. Another plus is that you can choose the color and pattern of your choice, meaning it fits into any interior. If you want to avoid joints, choose large-format ceramic granite.

Photo: Galina Ovchinnikova's design project

Windowsill from Artificial Stone

The interior of this three-room Stalinist apartment turned out to be bright, filled with art and vintage elements. Plastic windowsills didn't fit in here at all, so they were made from artificial stone. The same material was also used for the kitchen countertop and shelves. Artificial stone is durable, water-resistant, resistant to scratches and stains.

Photo: Elena Zufarova's design project

Windowsill from Plywood with Shelf

The budget for renovating this studio was limited, so it was necessary to find affordable yet interesting solutions. For example, the windowsills were made from birch planed plywood coated with oil and wax. The windowsill in the room was made wider, allowing for a small bookshelf to be built-in underneath.

Photo: Olga Karimova's design project

Place for Rest

The designers decided to emphasize the main strength of these apartments — large windows. The window openings were painted with a brass imitation paint. Radiators under the windows were replaced with tall tubular ones positioned on both sides of the windows. Instead of regular windowsills, places for sitting were made with storage boxes hidden inside.

Photo: Ingresso Interiors bureau design project

Desk with Toilet Mirror

To fit everything in these small apartments and create a functional interior, the designers used windowsills. In the kitchen area, instead of a windowsill, they made a bench with a soft mattress, and on the room side, they created a workspace. The windowsill-desk was made from HDF wood-look and included a fold-down mirror for easy makeup with natural light.

Photo: Irina Balandanova and Ekaterina Egorova-Orletinova's design project

Bar Counter

Instead of a regular windowsill in this typical two-room flat, there is a bar counter. The kitchen countertop from artificial stone was extended along the window and complemented with half-bar stools. Now, you can have a cup of tea or snack while enjoying the view of the bustling city.

Photo: Maria Petrova and Elena Andronova's design project