FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * LESTER HOWARD   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol WILLIAMS SONOMA INC [WSM] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) __X__ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) Chairman & CEO (Last) (First) (Middle) 3250 VAN NESS AVENUE 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 08/31/2006 (Street) SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 09/05/2006 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock 08/31/2006   P   352,211 (1) A $ 29.46 7,002,269 D   Common Stock 08/31/2006   J   194 A $ 29.46 35,310 (2) I by Managed Account

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code

V

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
LESTER HOWARD 3250 VAN NESS AVENUE SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94109	X		Chairman & CEO

Signatures

Nicolas de Porcel, Attorney-in-Fact for: Howard Lester		09/05/2006
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	The reporting person received 352,211 shares of WSM stock in connection with his redemption of a portion of his interest in an exchange fund. The shares were valued at $29.4600 per share, the closing price of the stock on 8/31/06, for the purpose of determining the number of shares distributable to him in connection with the redemption.
(2)	The reporting person owns $1,040,233.69 in the Williams-Sonoma, Inc. stock fund under the Williams-Sonoma, Inc. 401(k) Plan, based on a statement dated August 31, 2006. 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 $29.46, the closing price of Williams-Sonoma, Inc. common stock on August 31, 2006.

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