Wine cellar aesthetic is the new “old money” entertainment décor trend we love.
Trends come and go, but some remain in circulation longer than others.
We know the look:
A stoep that’s been enclosed with a too-low ceiling, draughty stack doors leading to a winter-dead lawn and greening swimming pool, and a thick, unfinished tree trunk countertop with heavy, roughly made rustic wood and fake leather stools that you can’t really find your seat on…oh, and the rumbling of a grey plastic ice-machine in the corner…
As a nation, we LOVE our tipples but we don’t make enough of a scene about it.
South Africa produces some of the best wines in the world, we have world class stronger liquors like gin and brandy, even our MCC sparkling wines have been internationally recognized…
We need to celebrate what our country offers and
This is where the personal wine cellar comes in.
Instead of simply hanging around on uncomfortable bar stools and drinking warm white wine, become a wine connoisseur and treat yourself to a wine cellar in your own home.
A cellar does not have to be below ground…(But the best ones are)
You can transform any room in your house into a “wine cellar” by making the right design choices and setting the right mood. Or you can have a space custom built …it all depends on your budget!
Turn the lights down low…
No wine cellar has ever had buzzing fluorescent overhead-lighting. The best way to set the mood is to get wall sconces or dimmable lighting and play around with different hues of light. Don’t have just one light source in the room – look out for interesting tabletop or standing lamps, candles and oil lamps also add personality and warmth to a room.
Settle it for the night
A wine cellar is a place of relaxation. This is where you cosy up with a glass of red and a book (Or let’s be honest – a phone full of TikTok’s or YouTube Videos.)
You need comfortable seating and lots of it. Find a sofa you can sit on, but also slide down on as the night takes its course…pile a couple of luxurious blankets into a basket and have them ready for when you just can’t be bothered to get up.
A vision of opulence
A traditional wine cellar does not include acid yellow, lime green, hot pink or titanium white. The rich brown of well-loved wood and leather, jewel tones of moody blue, hues of forest green and regal dark plums, golds and deep grey. The idea is to create a distinctly different look from the rest of your home. A wine cellar should be the space where you can disappear into hide from the bright chaos of the world
Temperature control
A wine cellar must also serve a purpose, and this is the purpose of securely storing and preserving your wine in the perfect climate. Splurge on a hight tech climate control system and ensure that your cellar always stays at the perfect temperature. This usually means that it should be towards the colder end of the spectrum, between 17 and 25 ̊c (Hence the basket full of cosy blankets) This does mean that your cellar can be a refuge during the hottest and coldest months of the season, and you might find yourself hanging out there more often than you thought.
Stable and sufficient storage for your growing collection of formidable wines
Wine is physically heavy, and many good wines are expensive as well. You don’t want low quality shelves that stand the risk of crashing down on you while you relax in your new cellar. For optimal, and secure storage it is advisable to get a professional to build or install your wine shelves. Wine should be stored lying down to keep the corks moist, and not disturbed too often…your wine collection should not be moved for cleaning and dusting. Just let it settle and let the wine-fairies do their work, enhancing and enlivening your wines with flavour as time goes on.
More than just wine
Because of the diffused light and climate control, a wine cellar is also the perfect place to store your expensive cigars and magnificent art…live out your bougies fantasies in your wine cellar and don’t skimp on the furnishings. It’s all about luxury living.
For inspiration, check out these beautiful South African wine destinations
Holly Lubart has compiled a Pinterest inspiration board with both modern and traditional wine cellar ideas.
Once you have your cellar take a tour to the wine country and stock up on the best local wines…or simply shop online
Once you have your dream cellar, these guys can make it happen:
https://www.thewineroom.co.za/
https://www.vinwood.co.za/collections/winespaces
https://www.drecoprojects.co.za/services/bars-wine-cellars-in-south-africa/
