The Ultimate — Wine Cellars

CAN FIT A WIDE VARIETY OF SPACES AND BUDGETS

by BethAnne Brink-Cox, House & Home Feature Writer

What do you know about wine cellars? Do you only know them as scary cobwebby places from the movies? Restaurants, maybe? Television? Maybe you’ve pinned a few ideas on Pinterest, looked at some magazines, researched the many sites online. Well, think about what you’d really like to have in your house; after all, these days a wine cellar can be as simple as a refrigerated drawer, a renovated closet or a cabinet. It all depends on your vision and your budget, and you can choose whether you’d repurpose existing space or if you’d build an addition on your home.

Martin Brothers Contracting, of Goshen, knows a thing or two about designing and building wine cellars, as evinced by these beautiful photographs. I asked if there had been more requests for such a project, and owner Jay Kinney said, “Our clients have been spending more time at home, and rethinking how they use their space. Many of these repurposed areas focus on entertainment, such as home theaters, verandas, pool houses and yes, wine cellars.”

What is a common size, and where’s the best location likely to be in your home? Jeff Martin, also of Martin Contracting, said he agreed with Kinney. “They are commonly located in the lower level, but they can be on the main level of your home. An average size is probably 10’x12’, but they can be bigger or smaller. It all depends on what the client wants.”

I’ve seen some outdoor patios equipped with everything from a grill and sink to a wine fridge, and I wondered if there was such a thing as an outdoor wine cellar. Is that possible, with weather changes, since wine has to be stored at the proper temperatures at all times? Kinney said, “Our clients are getting outside more. Renovating outdoor areas or incorporating significant outdoor entertainment in new homes is something we are seeing more of.”

But if you only know wine cellars from movies and so on, you might wonder just what’s required to create one. What is an absolute must for a home cellar, and what is a luxury? Kinney said an essential home cellar needs “adequate storage, access, and temperature control.” If you want a luxury experience, he said, “Accent lighting, hard surface countertops and high-end custom cabinetry is common these days.”

Your wine cellar doesn’t have to be only about storage, though. Paging through avail8-10 weeks, but the planning and material lead times could take 3-6 months.” And it’s tempting to think a renovation of existing space would take a much shorter time, but that’s not necessarily true. Wiring could need to be added or updated, cooling systems can require water and ductwork run into rooms that never required them before. Whatever you decide to do, the holiday season is fast approaching, and this might be the gift you’ve always wanted. Treat yourself! n

able information, you might see things such as dazzling overhead or recessed lighting, and displayed collections of stemware and decanters. Artwork or sports memorabilia on the walls could give you a sports bar ambiance. How about a seating area? Some of the available designs can incorporate brick walls and stone floors, resembling old taverns. Other designs can look like living rooms with cozy chairs and even fireplaces. (Definitely not the stuff of old Vincent Price movies!) Don’t forget something fun to do with the corks-- write the date on each, and fill glass jars with them, or place them in a wall frame.

As every contractor knows, building materials are harder to come by now, shipping can be slower and prices can be higher. Assuming you had everything in place and ready to begin, how long could such a project take to complete? Kinney said “That question is hard to answer since every client makes decisions at a different pace. The work itself may only take

Photos courtesy of Martin Bros. Contracting, General Contractor; Marie Martin Kinney, photographer