A Guide to the Custom Wine Cellar of Your Dreams
Do you dream of a luxury home with a custom wine cellar to display your curated wine collection? Or do you imagine adding a small wine cellar to the house in which you already live?
Excellent wine cellar design goes beyond basic wine storage. Today’s wine rooms include sumptuous entertaining areas, custom wine racks and artfully designed spaces that are a pleasure to spend time in and can add value to your home.
Let’s look at some of the features you may want to consider before adding a custom wine cellar to your luxury custom home plans or current home.
5 Design Tips to Consider When Adding a Custom Wine Cellar
Whether you’re a wine aficionado who would like to store and showcase rare vintages or an occasional drinker who prefers a wine room with a seating area to entertain in, the following tips will be helpful to consider when starting to plan:
Tip # 1: Timing - If you’re already working with White Wolf Homes on your custom home plan, it makes sense to add the wine cellar design from the start of the project. This will save time, money and future disturbances.
However, it is possible to add a wine cellar to an existing home as a renovation project, and as you can see below, you don’t necessarily need empty basement space.
Tip # 2: Refrigeration – A refrigeration system will be required to keep your wine at a consistent temperature. Options include free-standing fridges, integrated fridges and HVAC systems. Aim to have your cooling system keep your cellar at approximately 18 degrees Celsius.
Custom fridges can be integrated into your walls from the initial design stage to blend in with your home’s design.
Tip # 3: Lighting – The proper lighting can create the ambiance you expect in a luxury space like a wine cellar. Downlights can be spotlights to showcase prized bottles, while LED display lights offer a more modern design aesthetic.
Although wiring and lighting can be added after the build is complete, it is much easier to do when considered at the initial home design stage.
Tip # 4: Location – Custom wine cellars are best located underground in the deepest area of your home. They should be dark, window-free, well-ventilated and cool. Consider adding an airtight door to keep the humidity and temperature consistent. Also, be sure your space is well-insulated and built from rot-resistant materials.
No basement? No problem. Interior closets are one option for an above-ground space that can be converted into a wine cellar. Some prefer to locate custom wine racks within a walk-in pantry close to their kitchen and dining rooms.
Tip # 5: Size – When determining the size of your custom wine cellar, Vinfolio recommends the following calculation: N x Y + C
N = Average number of bottles purchased annually (e.g. 100 bottles)
Y = Length of time most bottles will stay in your cellar (e.g. 10 years)
C = Current number of bottles in your collection (e.g. 200 bottles)
Once you have the total, buffer it by twenty percent. This collection would require enough space to hold 1,440 bottles. A collection of 1000 bottles can be comfortably stored in a fifty-square-foot cellar.
The Benefits of Building Custom Wine Storage
Proper wine storage artfully displayed adds an element of beauty to your home. But the benefits go beyond appearances.
Cost-Effectiveness & Future Investment – With custom wine storage, you can buy your favourite wine in bulk and save money. In addition, when you buy bottles young, you pay less as they increase in value over time.
Convenience & Organization – Sort your bottles by occasion, type, year or however you like, and never run out of wine at a crucial moment again.
Preservation & Education – An expensive wine collection may spoil if improperly stored. A climate-controlled wine cellar preserves your bottles and allows control over the aging process for optimal taste.
What You Need to Know About Wine Racks
Any custom wine cellar also needs custom wine racks, built from various materials in sizes as large or as small as your space allows.
You may want to organize your collection by highlighting individual bottles, storing your bottles in bins or displaying your bottles with the label showing.
Whether your style is traditional or more modern, wine racks are available for every preference, including:
Sleek glass enclosures
Racking made from metal, glass, acrylic, stainless steel and aluminum
Reclaimed wine barrel racks
Ceiling mounted
Double deep
Custom wood finishes and hardware
Which Type of Wine Cellar is Right for You?
When deciding which type of wine cellar is best for you, ask yourself the following questions. Do you need functional long-term storage? Do you want to showcase your wine? Do you wish to entertain?
Wine cellar options to consider include:
Wine Room and Wine Bar Design Features
Wine-tasting areas with decadent seating and decoratively presented glassware add character to your wine room and turn it into an entertaining space. They can be located anywhere in your home and are often used for short-term wine storage.
These stunning rooms can combine eye-catching displays of your unique collection, multiple rack styles, bulk storage, adjustable lighting and integrated sound systems.
Wine Cellar Design Features
Wine cellars are for the serious wine collector. Traditional wine cellars are in basements and often have natural stones and wood finishes. These cellars are usually at least 10 x 10 ft and are kept cool with a split system controlling humidity and temperature.
Ultimately, your budget may decide which wine storage option you choose and how you outfit it. Temperature and humidity control systems, prefabricated or custom racks, lighting, sound and decoration costs should all be considered.
White Wolf Homes – Why Choose Us?
Whether you want to add a small wine cellar to your current home or start from scratch, let White Wolf Homes design a knock-out custom wine cellar just for you. Our custom home builders have the exclusive wine cellar knowledge you’ve sought to showcase your wine collection with a stunning custom design.
White Wolf Homes craft beautiful custom homes in Victoria, BC, and the capital region. But don’t take our word for it. Our satisfied clients boast of resort-like living thanks to their luxury homes’ amenities and high-end finishes. Contact us today for a complimentary consultation or more information.