DIY Projects: In-Home Wine Storage (5 comments)

Wine storage tips

When my husband and I moved into our house, we realized that we had a great opportunity on our hands. The space underneath our front porch had been dug out as a part of our basement, creating a small room that was the perfect size for a wine cellar, but not really big enough for anything else.

After a couple of years of using the space as a depository for all kinds of junk, we finally made the big move last spring, cleaning all the stuff out of the space, insulating, framing out, adding shelving, and buying a humidity and temperature control unit (from Wine Enthusiast).

Now, we're in the process of filling it. And trying to keep it filled.

The process was actually much simpler than either one of us expected, and it left us with a lot of knowledge about how to create in-home wine storage without breaking the bank.

Before getting started, ask yourself a few questions to help determine your best course of action:

1. How much wine do you have and do you plan to have? Do you need space for 15 bottles, or for 15,000?

2. What are your drinking vs. storing plans? Do you only buy wine to drink right away, or do you have (or plan to have) bottles that need to age for years?

3. Do you drink just whites or just reds? Or a combination?

4. What's your home like?

In some cases, storing wine off-site might actually be the best option. If you have a big collection and a small apartment (this means you, Manhattanites), it doesn't make sense to devote too much of your living space to wine storage.

But if your collection size and your home size are in sync, you're in business. There are a couple of levels of storage option:

1. The small wine fridge. Usually found in the basement bar or built into a kitchen island, this is a great option for people who keep smaller amounts of wine at home, and who drink it quickly. There are tons of free-standing options that can be tucked into a corner (some are even moderately attractive!) and built-ins are a great option for people redesigning a kitchen.

2. The under-stair or closet cellar. For smaller collections that still require aging, turning a closet or a space under the stairs into a small cellar is perfect.

3. The full-on wine cellar. Whether you find a hidden room in the basement, like we did, or you frame out one of your own, larger collections demand a decent-sized space. If you entertain, you might even want to make this a tasting room, adding a counter or table and chairs for comfort.

For dedicated rooms (options 2 and 3), you should start the process by checking the space's temperature and humidity (humidity gauges are available at the hardware store for a few dollars). The temp should stay - all year - between 55 and 65 degrees and relative humidity should remain between 60 and 65%.

There are a number of temperature and humidity control units available - decent ones for smaller spaces can cost under $500, a sound investment if you're storing expensive wines. (Side note: keep in mind that the unit cooling areas are usually listed in cubic feet - not square feet. We learned that the hard way, after we'd busted through cinderblock to install a unit too small for our cellar!)

Before framing out, too, take a look at these guidelines for building your own wine cellar - experts recommend higher levels of insulation in wine cellars than in normal room construction.

And once you've got your cellar constructed, don't forget to enjoy! Cheers!

Add your own tips in the comments, or take the discussion over to the buzz board – each month, the best design tip or story (related to this or any other home design project) will win a $50 gift card to a one of several home design stores (more details here). September's contest is on until the 30th. Good luck!

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