Five simple ideas for styling your window sills

If you give the other window sills in your home a second and third glance, you will appreciate how that little space can style some of your grander ideas.

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Every place you turn you will see an opportunity to style – granted, some places are easier to style than others. Others are more about the aesthetic than the function, but for most, you can strike that delicate balance between functional and aesthetics.

One of these places that are often overlooked is your window sills. Yes, the window ledger of your living and dining room, bedroom and bathroom.

Perhaps the only window sill that is usually styled is the kitchen window sill, the one that’s right above the kitchen sink. This is the only window sill that is styled for both function and aesthetics.

However, if you give the other window sills in your home a second and third glance, you will appreciate how that little space can style some of your grander ideas. Especially when you can shorten your window treatment to display them.

The most important thing to remember about styling your window sills is that it ought to be styled to just the right degree: It should not be too bare that it looks neglected, and not too crowded that it becomes cluttered.

Here are five ideas on how you can strike that delicate balance between aesthetics and function, bare and cluttered, as you style your window sills.

You can style these clustered items on their own or paired up with other items from this list:

Potted houseplants

The most ready-at-hand idea for your window sills is pots of houseplants; live or faux houseplants

Depending on where your window sills are, your live houseplants will get sunlight and warm air, these are excellent conditions for your houseplants to thrive. They’re not ideal – not with the direct sunlight, of course – but you are better off putting them here than someplace dank.

Go for plants that grow wide rather than tall. Also go for plants that hang over their pots.

You can never go wrong with potted succulents (such as echeveria), peace lilies, dwarf snake plant, peperomia and Chinese money plant. Stay away from such houseplants as ficus, monstera and rubber tree.

Make sure your plant pots all look similar. This is for the aesthetics. Also make sure the pots for the live plants have a stand, this will collect excess water and loose soil after you water your plants. Otherwise, you will ruin your window sill with soil and water.

Faux houseplants are more versatile and hardy, they don’t need much care and concern.

Framed abstract prints

Abstract prints are a modern type of art that are designed and sold online on websites such as Etsy. You simply download the art (at a small fee) then print them yourself on whichever size of paper you choose. You can print them in colour or black and white.

What makes them excellent accessories is their stylish frames – professional, polished, perfect for just about any space in your home, including your window sills.

The trick here is to use a cluster of two to three framed prints, depending on how wide your window sill is. Also, select frames that are no taller than eight inches – remember, you still need natural light to pour into your space.

Lean your framed prints against the windowsill, don’t hang them on hooks or anything like that. Keep things interesting by changing the print art as often as you get fed up with the ones you have. You can also rotate them from room to room.

String lights in mason jars

What makes string lights styling accessories is how they are displayed. They look like an enchanted fairy from an enchanted forest poured magic dust. A Tinker Bell moment.

For your window sills, consider placing them in clear mason jars. Cluster these simple jars on your window sills in groups of threes and fives.

Go for the battery-operated lights, this saves you the headache of limiting your ideas to the proximity of a power source. Also use bulbs with white lights instead of coloured lights. White lights are cleaner and simpler, and don’t invoke the festivity of the Christmas season.

Candles and candle accessories

Everything that has to do with candles will also style your window sills gorgeously. No matter if its battery-operated faux candles or burning-wax candles, they rise up to the task.

The candles that have a wow effect are scented vortex and jar candles. Tea and dinner candles, not so much.

Pair your candles with their accessories, such as the set of wick trimmer, candle snuffer and matches. You can also include the candle stick holder and cloche.

Books and select stationery

The last item to consider styling your window sills with is books. Real books – books you have read or intend to read, not books for the sake of display. Real books have character and personality.

It will be great if the corner to that window is your reading nook, with a cosy reading chair, rug and a side table.

What you must remember about styling your window sills with books, though, is that the direct sunlight can ruin the covers and pages. So can rain that drips in through an open window.

Also be wary about cluttering the window sill with books. A few select titles that are on your current and to-read list is all you need.

You can also pair your books with stationery such as your journal or diary, and stationery displayed in a stylish jar. Think pens and pencils, perhaps a pair of scissors and glue stick.