Designing a wine cellar for your home is a dream come true for many wine enthusiasts. Finally, you’ll have a place to show off your collection and host elegant wine tastings. But building a wine cellar is no small feat. Not only does it take time, patience, and a healthy budget, but it requires many elements of design, various types of material, and a climate controlled room. Before you begin the adventure, there are several things to consider when designing a wine cellar for your home.
A wine cellar can be a beautiful focal point in your home, but when it comes to designing the perfect space there are a few items you’ll need to check off your list. These might include the size and placement of your cellar, the type of materials you’ll want to use, and whether or not you’ll want a modern or traditional design. Follow along to learn more about each of these elements.
The size of your cellar is an important factor when you’re in the beginning stages of the design process. First, where will you want you cellar to be located within your house? Are you building your home brand new or will this be an addition? These types of things will have an impact on the size of your cellar along with the amount of bottles you have in your collection. Maybe you only have 50 bottles and need a small space, or maybe you have 500 and want a large room that includes a tasting table and could hold all of your wine accessories. You can’t go wrong with either option, but speaking with a professional will help determine what you have space for.
When designing your wine cellar, style plays an important factor. While you may believe wood is the main material used in many cellars, over the years a more modern trend has been rising in the ranks. Modern cellars are contemporary through the use of frameless glass walls and doors and stainless steel racks. This style of cellar presents a sleek look that incorporates clean lines and unique, industrial-style lighting.
Traditional wine cellars are quite contrasting to modern styles. They are warmer in nature than their counter style, relying on rich woods to provide intricate details making you feel as though you’re in Italy drinking wine at an 18th century winery. The soft, muted lighting of traditional wine cellars compliments the brick or natural stone often used. Tying it all together, arched doors made with classic woods offer a window of artistic iron work.
What if you have a mixture of both styles? Well, don’t stress just yet because through the use of a transitional style you are able to incorporate both modern and traditional elements. Maybe you like the idea of a frameless glass wall and door, but want a wooden structure to hold your wine bottles. With the help of a design expert, you can most certainly find a mixture of the two that provides a beautiful focus to show off your wine.
When trying to preserve the taste and aromas of your most prized wines, there is one important consideration you need to make–the climate of your cellar. The temperature and humidity can have a major impact on how well your wine will age, along with the location it is stored. Your wine should be kept at a cool 74 degrees or slightly lower. When a wine is exposed to temperatures 75 degrees or above it begins to oxidize.
The sweet spot for proper humidity is right around 70%. This percentage is ideal not only to prevent the cork from drying out, but to avoid too much moisture in the air potentially encouraging mold and mildew growth. Red wines are more prone to temperature related issues, so enabling an effective temperature control system helps to regulate the climate, preventing fluctuating temperatures or humidity from ruining your wines.
As a wine enthusiast, having your own wine cellar is the perfect addition to your home. You’ll have a temperature controlled place to age your wine, and not only that, but an ideal place for elegant entertaining. If you’re ready to design and build your dream cellar, Harkraft can help! Our team of designers will help you decide the proper size and space configurations, along with your preferred style style to create a beautiful focal point in your home. Contact us today to get started on creating the perfect solution for your wine collection!
