The water around a kitchen sink does spray or bounce all over, but if you want to wipe the windows down multiple times a day it's your decision.

I wanted to have my kitchen with a simple look. I chose a 4 inch backsplash. I like the backsplash behind my sink, a good buffer for water splashes, easy to clean too. BeverlyFLADeziner and your interior designer are right: get the backsplash.

Get a splash proof faucet please.

IMO we cannot answer this question for your space until we see your space. I think seeing a picture and living with that choice are not the same thing. For me the work of wiping the window often could be okay if that view was worth it but then I often design kitchens where the sink is not infornt of a window with a view. IMO we spend little time washing dishes now and a prep sink can be where it makes sense no need for a view thre either

Is this new construction? Are you trying to determine how to place the window? Sometimes we design for the window to sit at the countertop, other times it's placed a little higher. Here are a couple of examples of recent ones.

If placing the window at the countertop, you'll need to communicate the exact thickness of the countertop material to the builder so the correct window size can be ordered. It's a trickier countertop installation as well.

My window sits at countertop level with no backsplash. The faucet does not splash the window at all.

I would not like a window that sat directly on the counter top. I'd select a higher installation with a backsplash and apron under the window like @kculbers

I have about 5 inch backsplash and extra deep casing and there are many, many splashes. I'm careful and I still splash; other family members aren't careful at all. I love my big, wide window. I just wipe it down with dish detergent and then a tea towel after washing up. Sometimes the splashes are so high I need a ladder to reach them! Oh well.

Here is mine. Note that I had the lower cabinets moved forward 2" and wish I had pulled them out a few inches more. I also have a deep sink, 18" back to front.

Does the area behind get wet? It depends on who is using the sink and if they even notice that they left everything wet!

We have never had an issue of not havng a backsplash behind our sink in the five years we have lived in this house. It is just the two of us and we do occassional get a few drops of water splash on the window but it is certainly not a daily thing (maybe every other week at most).

.

I think you can see the wide range here and that there are differeing experiences. That leads me to believe that you can choose whatever you want. I think it looks really cool to have a window without a splash behind a sink.

@cpartist - I'm ready for a Houzz tour of your entire home!

Krisitn's examples are great. This is going to be a matter of preference and whether or not you're designing around an existing window or have the flexibility to change the window entirely. I happen to really love the look of the window sitting directly onto the counter. It's fresh and clean looking. A bit more maintenance, perhaps, but that's a trade-off you'll have to consider for the aesthetic.

I cannot believe that if people wash dishes or pans, that there is not a lot of splatter. Would drive me crazy to have to carefully wipe a window down every day, if not 3 times a day. If you just use your sink to fill pots and glasses of water and maybe wash vegetables sure, I could see having a low sill. It certainly looks good. There is so much "looks, not cooks" out there in the design world, choices that look great in photos but have big downsides.

Some people have a heavy hand and some have a light touch, so very easy to have different results when handwashing at the sink!

You know your family. Neat people are saying you don’t need a backsplash. Others, not so much….

My husband and one of my kids are what I call aggressive hand washers ... they splash water everywhere! My DH also sprinkles salt & pepper high above his plate and gets that everywhere! lol

I have the 'splash proof" faucet that Joseph Corlett linked (and I LOVE it, I had it in my old kitchen and it was a non-negotiable for the new one) BUT I still get water around the faucet from my wet hands, not from splashing. My before was laminate counter and I had layers - laminate 4" splash, then a conduit, trim, and then windowsill - layers. In the reno I actually took the stone up to and included the sill to have fewer layers and make it easier to clean. The rest of the splash is 2" high which makes it disappear from a distance but provides the protection I wanted in case of spills, etc. (Any spill greater than 2" is a bigger problem!)

If you are reading this and are in the design phase, pull you r kitchen sink out. My cabinet is pulled forward with trim pieces angled back to the cabinet run. THis gives you a splash zone before things hit your window. Our window is 3 inches off the counter and doesn't get splashed much.

I cannot believe that if people wash dishes or pans, that there is not a lot of splatter.

99% of my dishes and pots and pans go into the dw with just scraping. Why would I want to waste extra water and time cleaning dishes, pots and pans when the DW does a better job?

@cpartist - I'm ready for a Houzz tour of your entire home!

Here's a start

I wanted my window to sit at countertop level but due to electrical code requirement I couldn't. The requirement had to do with an outlet needing to be within a certain distance from the sink. Don't recall the details but after much discussion between the architect and contractor, I raised the window a few inches to accommodate the requirement. Check the code in your area.

In our designs we sometimes set the sill of windows to coincide with the height of countertops. If there is a sink nearby there will be need to wipe the windows often.

I wanted my windows down to the countertop. I made my cabinets on that side extra deep and have a full 8" behind the faucet. Countertop front is 30.5" from the window frame. I would absolutely do it again! The extra deep counter gave an opportunity to make the silverware drawer deep enough to hold 2 sets of silverware...large family, solved a lot of problems ;) While I have 3 windows on the same run, I designed them to leave space in between for the required electrical outlets.

@lucky998877 I’m not sure how to reply to people on here, so hope this works! This sounds like a great solution!

I so appreciate everyone’s input. While I consider myself to be a very neat conscientious cook/dishwasher, my husband is not and we use our kitchen constantly. I have small children and we plan to have more than the two children we already have. So for our lifestyle, I see the best options being either a taller kitchen sink or deeper cabinets along this wall.

Wish I figured out how to upload pictures of the back view - mountains and no neighbors. It’s truly a million dollar view.

Thank you, all - truly!

Meant to say taller kitchen backsplash- not sink.

@cpartist - What an amazing house you have! Stunning Craftsman and your modern updates are exquisite. (Jealous, for sure…)

I keep seeing beautiful kitchens that have a sink in front of a large picture window with no backsplash.

The term is counter-height window, and I personally like the look, as it gives more light ... but I would only pair it with an apron-front sink, which would allow several extra inches of countertop between the sink and the window.