Wine Cellar Wish: Granted

Always wish for your own wine cellar, but short on space and cash to do so?

Same here. We aren’t wine connoisseurs by any means, but we do enjoy trying a variety of vino and stocking up on our favorites when they go on sale. Storage was always the problem.

Dreams of a wine cellar were just that, dreams. Not practical. No room, no budget. We stored our wine in a cool crawl space under our stairs. Each time we entered that tiny area, we’d hit our heads and think, there’s got to be a better solution. Then, we started closet cleaning, which sparked an idea.

We got creative with a space in our basement. Since we live in the Midwest, it’s always cool and dark, so provides the ideal location for storing wine. We decided to transform an ordinary coat closet into what we refer to as our "wine shrine." It’s not technically a wine cellar, because it’s not temperature controlled, but it suits our needs.

We didn’t do any major construction, just some research, design, paint and assembly. We started by searching for wine storage kits that would fit the space. Once those were ordered, we mixed some leftover paint to create a Tuscan look on the walls. We used a golden yellow and brushed a brown glaze over that. Then, I took wine labels we’d collected from trips and decoupaged them onto the walls. When I ran out of those, I photocopied some wine coasters to complete the design.

The inspiration for the wine cork trim on the existing shelves came from a friend. We cut the corks in half to trim out the shelves and glued them on with a product called Liquid Nails. Wrought iron shelving brackets were installed to support the additional weight of the wine. We placed our old iron wine rack in the center as a focal point, for visual interest. Faux tin ceiling tiles finished the look.

We did it all for less than $1,000 and over a weekend. If you have a larger space and budget, there are plenty of deluxe options to choose from. Whether you go BIG or small on this DIY, it’s an update that typically pays off when you sell your home. People value designer details. So, consider it an investment that you can appreciate, like fine wine.

Now, when our favorite Chardonnay or Pinot goes on sale, we can stock up and store it without hitting our heads. The top shelf, where we store the “good stuff” is running low, after a long winter. Looks like it’s time for us to refill the “wine shrine.”

Cheers!🍷