Custom builders are engaged to help clients showcase their personal style throughout the home, and the wine room is one of the most recent ways homeowners can make a statement. From large rooms tailor-made for tastings and parties, to more intimate spaces perfect for storing and displaying a collection, here are a few trends related to customized wine rooms, according to the experts.

Size matters
Wine rooms are typically located near entertaining areas within the home, allowing for easy access. They have contemporary finishes with materials that make a strong impression without taking up a huge footprint. Whether you’re a wine enthusiast, avid collector or just entertain frequently, wine rooms can be configured to meet your needs, as well as the size of your home.

Some homeowners create an area to store hundreds to thousands of bottles; others take advantage of off-site storage solutions but want room for crates. A more casual wine enthusiast might focus on the overall feel and display of the collection.

“Some clients still favor larger wine rooms that can accommodate seating for tastings, but there is a trend toward wine rooms becoming smaller and more efficient,” says Mark Danuser, president of Tatum Brown Custom Homes.

Most modern wine rooms are small compared to other rooms in the home (around 5-by-6) and utilize more innovative storing solutions. For overall design and finish-outs, Danuser says homeowners have gravitated toward natural materials and minimalist design.

They want to use glass, metals, sleek wine racks, accent lighting, and hard surfaces such as stone or wood. Some owners opt to design the wine room as an accent wall in a dining room or hallway.

Keep it cool
When building a wine room, it’s vital that all of the details, from the construction materials to the technology, be utilized correctly.

“One of the important elements you won’t actually see is a closed-cell foam, which is a vapor barrier to prevent moisture from becoming trapped in the walls. It’s critical to make a perfectly sealed environment,” Danuser explains.

“Another must is a top-of-the-line wine chiller that’s sized appropriately for your room. Also, the room should have a thermostat that reads both temperature and humidity.”

Large wine collections are a significant investment, and temperature is key to storage success. Danuser says that some homeowners opt to use a thermostat that will link to a smart phone and send an alert if the temperature rises. Another option for mitigating risk, says Danuser, is to purchase a second wine chiller as a back-up.

For homeowners who don’t want a dedicated wine room, there are other options for storage. Danuser recommends wine captain storage solutions, which can hold anywhere from a dozen to hundreds of bottles.

“Tri-temp wine captains are built to cool whites at around 45 degrees, reds at 55 degrees, and they have a lower light-free zone that is designed for longer-term storage. These are great options if you like to have a good amount of wine on hand but don’t want to dedicate the space to storing it,” he explains.

Design tips
When working with your builder on creating a wine room, there are myriad details to consider. These are Danuser’s top tips:

• Decide how many bottles you want the wine room to hold. Options for wine storage can vary greatly and be customized to your needs.
• Consider how your wine room ties into rest of the home. Do you want your wine room to be a featured area of the home?
• Select hard-surface walls and flooring that provide protection from moisture but also look great.
• Select doors for your wine room that highlight the collection. Doors will be sealed for temperature and humidity control.
• Consider making a statement with modern wire racking, custom shelving and lighting that highlights key bottles.

One final tip from Danuser: Consider designing the room with enough storage and shelving to accommodate glasses and serving ware, so they’re easily accessible. Cheers!

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To learn more about designing a custom wine room, and to see examples of beautiful custom homes, visit the Tatum Brown Custom Homes website or Facebook.

Here, a table and chairs provides a tasting area for homeowners who like to entertain.

Photo courtesy of Tatum Brown Custom Homes

Here, a table and chairs provides a tasting area for homeowners who like to entertain.