<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0000719955-04-000019
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20040323
<FILING-DATE>20040324
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>LESTER HOWARD
<CIK>0001225919
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-14077
<FILM-NUMBER>04688050
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>C/O WILLIAMS SONOMA INC
<STREET2>3250 VAN NESS
<CITY>SAN FRANCISCO
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>94109
<PHONE>4154217900
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>WILLIAMS SONOMA INC
<CIK>0000719955
<ASSIGNED-SIC>5700
<IRS-NUMBER>942203880
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>CA
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>0131
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>3250 VAN NESS AVENUE
<CITY>SAN FRANCISCO
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>94109
<PHONE>415-421-7900
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>3250 VAN NESS AVENUE
<CITY>SAN FRANCISCO
<STATE>CA
<ZIP>94109
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</ISSUER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgardoc.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2004-03-23</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000719955</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>WILLIAMS SONOMA INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>WSM</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001225919</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>LESTER HOWARD</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>3250 VAN NESS AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SAN FRANCISCO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94109</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>CHAIRMAN</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-03-23</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>211000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>32.09</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>7499528</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>34360</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>by Managed Account</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The shares are held in a Managed Account as a Williams Sonoma stock fund in the company's 401K plan.  The shares held are calculated by taking the total value of the account of of 3/7/03 and dividing it by the current FMV of the company's common stock.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks>The reporting person owns $1,107,775.73 in the Williams-Sonoma, Inc. stock fund under the Williams-Sonoma, Inc. Associate Stock Incentive Plan, a 401(K) plan,  based on a statement dated March 23, 2004.  The number of shares indirectly owned and noted on Table I was calculated by dividing the amount owned in the Williams-Sonoma, Inc. stock fund by $32.24, the closing price of Williams-Sonoma, Inc. common stock on March 23, 2004.</remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>By: Beau Davidson, Attorney-in-Fact  For: Howard Lester</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-03-24</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
