Awesome Wine Cellar Ideas for Basements : Wooden Wine Racking, Faux Painting and More!

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Experience the epitome of luxury living with the addition of a custom basement wine cellar to your upscale home.  In this feature, what was once lackluster basement was magically turned into a captivating and exquisitely designed space housing a one-of-a-kind wine cellar. Nestled within a residential home in the enchanting city of San Juan Capistrano, we started this remarkable construction with a personalized 3D design, capturing all every aspect of the client’s initial vision and our professional wine cellar ideas for basements.  This was an interesting and fun project to do from the very beginning, and we’re excited to share the details!

Custom  Wine Cellar Ideas for Basement Installation

This project was presented with unique architectural challenges from the beginning, but they were not too difficult to overcome. Generally, getting started on building a contemporary custom wine cellar in a home basement is a complicated task. It entails a keen eye for details and a clear vision of the project. But if you work with professional wine cellar experts like Coastal Custom Wine Cellars, we can help you through the process of turning a part of your home into the wine cellar of your dreams.

With professional wine cellar ideas, any basement in your home can be converted into a one-of-a-kind wine cellar!

The final outcome of this custom wine cellar conversion included a beautiful faux paint to the walls, unique flooring, a WhisperKool Platinum Split System Model 8000 for the cooling unit and gorgeous wooden wine racks of Alder variety with a Cherry Mahogany Stain and Satin Lacquer for the finish– truly breathtaking!

Importance of 3D Designs When Building Contemporary Custom Basement Wine Cellars

Coastal Custom Wine Cellars had recently completed a project in San Juan Capistrano which involved building a contemporary custom wine cellar in a home basement. Upon the start of the project, Jerry of Coastal Custom Wine Cellars sat down with the client to discuss his needs for storing, managing and displaying his wine collection of 1,598 bottles. A complimentary 3D design package was crafted after having a conversation with the client which was available for the client to review. The use of 3D designs made it easier to manage the expectations in terms of final outcome.

Basement-to-Custom Wine Cellar Conversion

The basement was on the same level as a 3-car garage.

The basement was on the same level as a 3-car garage. An area of measuring 13.5’ x 9.5’ x 7’ was utilized for the entire wine cellar. The team had taken down the exterior walls of the basement as part of prepping the room. There were several architectural challenges that had to be overcome which included the backside of the fireplace and cinder block walls which had been constructed to several different heights.

The start of building a contemporary custom wine cellar in the client’s home basement began by prepping the walls, installing the vapor barrier, providing insulation and constructing a moisture resistant drywall. The moisture resistant drywall was important for preventing mildew buildup. The painters applied a beautiful faux paint to the walls and an amazing medallion was included in the flooring.

Turning an ordinary basement into a beautiful, well-kept wine cellar can be a bit challenging primarily because having a proper wine cellar environment is key to a successful installation. Another factor to consider when thinking of having a custom wine cellar built in  your home is budget. One must be prepared to spend and invest the proper amount of funds. The room may require a durable flooring system and the installation of sturdy lighting fixtures for example. Building a contemporary custom wine cellar in your home basement can be costly but  needless to say, it is worth the investment.

Alder 101: Use of Alder Wood on Wine Racks for a Contemporary Wine Cellar

For the wine racks, Coastal Custom Wine Cellars made use of Alder wood. Alder is an astounding wood for wine racks. This particular species of wood is often referred to as the “chameleon” because it has the ability to mimic the exterior of other woods. Unstained alder often has a red, brown, or orange hue. It is also one of the most durable wood type there is and it is highly resistant to rot and pest infestations.

 There are two kinds of Alder wood available for use in wine racks- the Clear Alder and Knotty Alder. The former is ideal for a modern-looking wine cellar. It has straight grains and is heavier. The latter, on the other hand, is perfect for a rustic custom wine cellar because of its unique small knots.  

Part of our wine cellar ideas for basements is to customize wine racks to maximize the space.

 Alder is the softest of all hardwoods, ranks just above pine and poplar. That is why it is referred to as semi-hardwood. It is a popular use for furniture, cabinets, frames and other custom woodworks. Cabinetmakers praise alder for its workability, affordability and adaptability. 

Because Alder wood maintains its shape without deforming and twisting, it is perfect for moldings. Molder knife easily cut through it because it is soft enough.  When prime alder is used, especially in building contemporary custom wine cellar in a home basement, you can be sure that there is only a few, if not zero, defects, like knots, splits or cracks, will be visible in the molding.  

Cooling System Wine Cellar Ideas for Basements

For this project, the team installed a ductless split system, specifically the WhisperKOOL Platinum Split System Model 8000. A split system by definition is a “divided cooling system” which means that the warm air condenser and the cool air evaporator are separated. The warm air condenser is positioned in an area that is better suited for heat and noise dissipation (outdoors or garage area), and the cool air evaporator is inside, or very near, the cellar. It was the perfect type of cooling unit to use in a contemporary custom wine cellar in a home basement.  

WhisperKOOL Platinum Split System Model 8000 

WhisperKOOL is a top brand in the cooling system industry and Coastal Custom Wine Cellars is an authorized dealer of the brand. With almost, 20 years in the business, WhisperKOOL has worked with a lot of clients and has dealt with numerous challenging installation experiences and problems. Through this all, they remained to be a trusted name in the business and tops the list as the cooling unit choice of developers when building a contemporary custom wine cellar in a home basement.  

For this project, the team installed a ductless split system, specifically the WhisperKOOL Platinum Split System Model 8000.

Product Specifications: 

We’ve got tons of wine cellar ideas for basements, including adding some beautiful faux paint to the walls and unique floor plan design!

System Features: 

• Quiet and efficient operation 
• Advanced electronic display 
• Liquid bottle probe 

• Energy saving mode 
• Alarm capabilities 
• Flexible installation 
• 55°F temperature differential 
• Condensing unit can be placed outdoors w/optional housing 

• Low ambient control 
• Pump down system for longer compressor life 

The model of the cooling unit was determined by first conducting a heat load calculation for the wine cellar which came out at 898 cubic feet as determined by the dimensions of the room.  It is important to note that the cubic footage of a wine cellar is not the only factor that goes into determining the british thermal unit (BTU) requirements.  

Other factors to consider include the climate outdoors, the number of exterior walls and the R-Values of all the walls, including the ceiling. If there is a glass door and a glass wall, the square footage of the glass present should also be included.  Dual pane glass is recommended.

There is no doubt that cooling systems are the heart of a wine cellar. If a cooling refrigeration system is not properly installed when building a contemporary custom wine cellar in home basement, your prized wine collection can go to waste as a result of being exposed to excess heat.   

Overall, it was a fun project to work on. Building a contemporary custom basement wine cellars is an art mastered by Coastal Custom Wine Cellars. If you need professional help coming up with other wine cellar ideas for basements, contact us today! Let us discuss a perfect design for you and make the wine cellar of your dreams come to life! Reach out to us at +1 (949) 200 – 8134.

Alder is an astounding wood for wine racks. This particular species of wood is often referred to as the “chameleon” because it has the ability to mimic the exterior of other woods