Real Estate Innovation

Custom Wine Cellar - Great Investment!

If you enjoy drinking wine and you have a large collection of wine and vintages which need to be stored properly over time, you should consider installing a custom wine cellar. This will be one of your more clever investments. You will be able to store your treasured collection of wine in a proper room. And most important of all, you will surely be satisfied when you drink the wine.

A wine cellar will add value as a practical room and desirable amenity for your house. While the primary intent of building a custom wine cellar is probably for your private enjoyment while you reside in the home, it also increases the house’s resale value. Custom wine cellars, wine refrigerators and wine cabinets are amongst the most trendy additions and ‘must haves’ for luxury homes, and they are particularly appreciated in large homes situated in upscale neighborhoods.

Plan and construct a custom wine cellar mainly for your collection of wines, considering your existing space, finances, and the handiness of having complete access to your own superior wine. You can place it practically anywhere in your house. You may keep them in a vacant cabinet, corner of a room, in the pantry, beneath a stairwell, or in the attic. But some places, like basements, are more appropriate settings compared to others.

Every custom wine cellar needs an adequate amount of space for placement of important structures. It can also hold a mini counter and small amount of crate, bulk, or tub wine storage space. The walls may also require use of insulation to maintain temperature and a vapor barrier is important to avoid condensation inside the walls and to maintain humidity.

Seal the cellar’s entrance around its borders with climate stripping and insulation. This will help your cellar retain cold, moist air. In addition, for controlling its climate, the cellar will require refrigeration and humidity systems. You should also install electrical wiring for lighting the cellar room.

The next step is finishing the wine cellar, specifically, erecting the custom racking. The racks should have capacity for your wine collection and fit the dimensions of your cellar. Wine bottles vary in size and shape. Not every wine bottle is capable of fitting into an average off-the-shelf wine rack. Once the wine cellar is properly erected, you are ready to add the finishing touches to it. Such touches may include crown moldings, lighting, flooring, baseboards, cabinets and countertops, a door, and various amenities. The hard work associated with designing your home wine cellar will surely pay off in the long run, as you will be able to enjoy your creation forever.

If you have a variety of vintages, a wine cellar is a sensible investment for storage and aging. A custom wine cellar with a wine refrigerator or wine cabinet increases the resale value of your home, particularly in large houses in upscale neighborhoods. You can build one anywhere; probably the best place is the basement. It should have adequate room for racking and storage, a mini counter, adequate wiring, and a vapor barrier to prevent condensation and maintain humidity and temperature (this may require adding insulation). Racks should fit the space and the bottles - some won’t fit in standard racks. Also consider adding special flooring, countertops, cabinets, doors, and other amenities.

- Summer Wilde