How 2 Cabernet Lovers Built Their Own Wine Storage Center
See how a couple used two wine fridges and a butcher block countertop to create a special place to pour for friends
Erin Carlyle
January 2, 2018
Former Houzz Editorial Staff. Writing about the cost of renovation and what it takes to remodel. Former Forbes real estate reporter. Fascinated by cool homes, watching the bottom line.
Former Houzz Editorial Staff. Writing about the cost of renovation and what it takes... More
When you think of a wine cellar or storage center, do you picture an underground cave or a pricey temperature-controlled storage space? Those can indeed be great places to keep a wine collection — but they’re not the only way.
Earlier this year, Chris and Liz Stewart built their own version of a wine storage center in a spare corner of their basement, using a streamlined supply list of just butcher block, beverage refrigerators and steel piping. Read on to learn how they did it, and perhaps even to get inspired to DIY a wine storage center in your own home.
Earlier this year, Chris and Liz Stewart built their own version of a wine storage center in a spare corner of their basement, using a streamlined supply list of just butcher block, beverage refrigerators and steel piping. Read on to learn how they did it, and perhaps even to get inspired to DIY a wine storage center in your own home.
Wine Storage Center at a Glance
Who lives here: Chris and Liz Stewart and their 4-year-old daughter, Fleur
Location: McLean, Virginia
When Chris and Liz Stewart bought their home outside of Washington, D.C., it had two kitchens: one on the main level and a second in the basement. The couple had no need for two kitchens — but they did have a desire for a place to store their wine collection. “My wife and I are very into wine,” Chris Stewart says.
Who lives here: Chris and Liz Stewart and their 4-year-old daughter, Fleur
Location: McLean, Virginia
When Chris and Liz Stewart bought their home outside of Washington, D.C., it had two kitchens: one on the main level and a second in the basement. The couple had no need for two kitchens — but they did have a desire for a place to store their wine collection. “My wife and I are very into wine,” Chris Stewart says.
For about three years, Chris Stewart knew he wanted to turn the basement kitchen into a wine storage center, but other home renovation projects kept the couple busy for a few years. Over Labor Day weekend, he pulled the trigger on the project, adding butcher block and pipe shelving over two wine refrigerators.
The wall where the beer and wine refrigerators now stand previously had an L-shaped bay of upper and lower cabinets, along with a white laminate countertop, which the couple ripped out a few years ago. So the work to create this space over the three-day weekend was relatively simple. “The demo had already been done. It was really installing everything and making it look nice,” Stewart says.
Wine refrigerators: EdgeStar 53 bottle built-in wine cooler CWR531SZ
Find freestanding beer and wine refrigerators
The wall where the beer and wine refrigerators now stand previously had an L-shaped bay of upper and lower cabinets, along with a white laminate countertop, which the couple ripped out a few years ago. So the work to create this space over the three-day weekend was relatively simple. “The demo had already been done. It was really installing everything and making it look nice,” Stewart says.
Wine refrigerators: EdgeStar 53 bottle built-in wine cooler CWR531SZ
Find freestanding beer and wine refrigerators
Over the long weekend, Stewart picked up the butcher block for the countertop at Ikea and found the steel piping for the upper shelf at Home Depot, where he also had it cut to the length he needed. The upper shelf itself is a piece of butcher block donated by a friend.
The biggest challenge of this project was mounting the shelving to the wall, which connects to the home’s garage and is made of concrete brick. “I wore down two bits trying to drill through that wall,” Chris Stewart says. “I had to have a friend come over and help me drill the holes.”
To get through the wall, Stewart’s friend, who is a commercial architect, used a drill bit designed specifically for poured concrete or masonry. Once Stewart and his friend made the holes, they attached the 1-inch pipes to the flanges and screwed the flanges into the walls with masonry screws, using the holes they’d made with the specialty drill bit. The caps on the end of the pipes are purely decorative.
The countertop is actually resting on the two side-by-side refrigerators; Stewart used a circular saw to cut it to perfectly fit around the bump-out in the wall. Each of the wine fridges stands 24 inches wide and holds 53 bottles of wine, for a total of 106 bottles of storage here. The couple use the wine fridge on the right to store bottles — in their case, primarily cabernet sauvignon — that they want to keep for a long time, and the one on the left stores bottles that get used sooner.
Countertop: Karlby countertop, oak, Ikea; upper shelf: butcher block donated by a friend; drill bit: DW5446 ⅝ inch-by-6 inch-by-8-inch Rock Carbide SDS Plus hammer bit, Dewalt
The biggest challenge of this project was mounting the shelving to the wall, which connects to the home’s garage and is made of concrete brick. “I wore down two bits trying to drill through that wall,” Chris Stewart says. “I had to have a friend come over and help me drill the holes.”
To get through the wall, Stewart’s friend, who is a commercial architect, used a drill bit designed specifically for poured concrete or masonry. Once Stewart and his friend made the holes, they attached the 1-inch pipes to the flanges and screwed the flanges into the walls with masonry screws, using the holes they’d made with the specialty drill bit. The caps on the end of the pipes are purely decorative.
The countertop is actually resting on the two side-by-side refrigerators; Stewart used a circular saw to cut it to perfectly fit around the bump-out in the wall. Each of the wine fridges stands 24 inches wide and holds 53 bottles of wine, for a total of 106 bottles of storage here. The couple use the wine fridge on the right to store bottles — in their case, primarily cabernet sauvignon — that they want to keep for a long time, and the one on the left stores bottles that get used sooner.
Countertop: Karlby countertop, oak, Ikea; upper shelf: butcher block donated by a friend; drill bit: DW5446 ⅝ inch-by-6 inch-by-8-inch Rock Carbide SDS Plus hammer bit, Dewalt
Stewart attached an undercounter wine rack to the bottom of the shelf that can hold four wine glasses. The rack was a gift he received several years ago; he cut it in half to fit the depth of the shelf.
Find undercounter wine glass racks
Find undercounter wine glass racks
To the left of the bar, the Stewarts mounted a menu from a local restaurant they enjoy. It’s secured to the metal backing using magnets, so the menu can be switched out, say, if they want to post a list of their home wine offerings.
This photo shows Chris Stewart’s treasured 3.5-inch fixed-blade knife, with a blade made of Damascus steel. “Damascus steel is what makes the blade have that beautiful pattern,” Chris Stewart says. “Even though it is way over the top, I just use this big knife to cut the foil off of bottles before uncorking them.”
Knife: Forseti Steel
Knife: Forseti Steel
To the right of the wine fridges, the Stewarts keep a large demijohn, which they are slowly filling with corks from the wine bottles they drink and share with their guests.
The upper shelf has a similar container, with corks as well as an artificial grassy plant that came from Ikea.
In addition to the wine refrigerators, earlier this year the Stewarts purchased a commercial beverage holder, shown in this photo. Typically they store a case of white wine and about four cases of beer here, though the fridge could hold more. To the left of the refrigerator, the Stewarts have placed some wine racks that can hold another 24 bottles. In total, with the refrigerator, the racks and the mini fridges, the couple have space for about 12 cases of wine. Eventually, they plan to do some work to this side of the room as well.
This photo shows the view of the basement kitchen from the vantage point of the den, which is just around the corner.
Tall refrigerator: Glass door refrigerator, Model No. SCR 1300, Summit Appliance; see more
This photo shows the view of the basement kitchen from the vantage point of the den, which is just around the corner.
Tall refrigerator: Glass door refrigerator, Model No. SCR 1300, Summit Appliance; see more
Here is a more pulled-back look at the den — to orient yourself, note the piece of art to the right of the white door and the tall beverage refrigerator beyond it. The couple like to use this space for entertaining.
“Oftentimes if we’re having people over to watch a game, that’s where everyone is hanging out,” Chris Stewart says. “We put snacks out and people grab what they want. It’s our downstairs bar.”
“Oftentimes if we’re having people over to watch a game, that’s where everyone is hanging out,” Chris Stewart says. “We put snacks out and people grab what they want. It’s our downstairs bar.”
This shot shows the wine storage center to the right, as well as a blackboard wall where the couple keep their family calendar, as well as a space for whimsical drawing. The den is just beyond, through the opening to the right.
The project “took wasted space and turned it into a nice beverage nook. Anybody could do it,” Chris Stewart says. “It’s a very handy space for opening wine and entertaining.”
Project costs:
Project costs:
- Two wine refrigerators: about $1,000 (about $500 each)
- Butcher block counter: about $100
- Tall beverage refrigerator for the kitchen: about $800
- Pipes, flanges and end caps: about $30
- Total: About $1,930
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Two of our local liquor stores recycle wine corks. I save mine then when I fill the container, I bring it in to recycle.
I know friends that like the icky white wines. LOL
Fun!