Wine by Design

Closets and pantries aren’t just for storing clutter any more. These small spaces can be transformed into functional wine cellars where you can beautifully display your wine collection.

Designed by Mary Mead, Park Square Homes for Residences at Dellagio
Photographed by Cynthia Simonetta, Cynthia Simonetta Photography

It’s easy to find inspiration for a bedroom – or any open living space for that matter. These areas can be filled with furniture and area rugs. Paint colors take on a life of their own along spacious walls. But what are you supposed to do with the smaller areas of a home?

For many, converting a coat closet under the stairs or an unused pantry into a wine cellar is a natural fit. This option still allows for storage, providing a unique space for glassware, bar tools, items for entertaining and even a collection of spirits in addition to wine.

Here’s how to do it in your own home.

The First Step

Built-in steps give the illusion of stepping down to an underground level, a typical wine cellar characteristic that allows wine to be stored at the proper temperature and humidity but that is nearly impossible to execute in Florida. In this cellar, travertine tiles made of lightly colored natural stone cover the entire surface area of the space so the room has the cavernous qualities of an authentic wine cellar without going too dark.

Lighten Up

Since the wine cellar was designed underneath the home’s staircase, the ceiling has dramatic angles that lend to dramatic lighting. A chandelier adds a touch of glam while still keeping a fairly understated look with glass baubles to match the glass door at the entrance.

Through the Grapevine

Showing off your wine collection is one of the biggest advantages of having a cellar in your home – second behind having the right environment to store the wines so they age properly. Display your collection on custom racks built into the wall, and organize them by type, varietal or region depending on the size of your collection.

Cool Down Zone

Including a cooler in the design allows you to bring the wine down to its proper temperature when you’re ready to drink it without removing it from the wine cellar. Smaller coolers typically work best so as not to overwhelm the space. Set the cooler off with metal or wrought iron gates that match the wine racks used to display the bottles for a well-rounded storage option.