A wine wall is a big investment for any property and we hope to set out in this news article the considerations you need to think about prior to determining if a wine wall is right for you. The great thing is that WineWalls is here to assist along every step of the way! From initial thoughts and consultation, budget proposals, detailed specification, procurement and installation and then after sales service, we have been creating wine walls for many years, bringing a unique and cost effective approach to the UK marketplace. We hope the following pointers help you if you are considering a wine wall for your home:
• Space – think of the space you have and whether this is sufficient for a wine wall – if you have less than 1.5m width or depth, then typically we would advise you to look at a pre-built wine display for a more cost effective solution. Nearly all widths and height can be catered for; depth can limit whether you can walk into the wine wall or have it as a reach in only. How much wine do you have, is there sufficient space for it all – if you have too much space, then you will have lots of fun filling it! If you have too much wine, then you will also have lots of fun drinking some of it to reduce the quantity! Is there space for the cooling system above or to the side, maybe behind in a room?
Depth – you would normally need at least 900mm between the racking and the glazing to be comfortable stepping inside the wine wall and moving around, bending down etc. Otherwise you are probably looking at a reach-in wine wall only and this would therefore mean having doors across the whole of the front for accessing the racking. Sliding doors can be provided, so if there was limited room in front of the wine wall these would be more suitable (rather than outward hinging doors). Very small depths can be accommodated but remember a wine bottle lying down is at least 300mm and if you want the wine wall cooled, then it is unlikely that cooling systems will fit within or above the space if depth is limited – you would need to look at a ducted system located close by.
Cooling System – some clients do not want the wine wall cooled, as it is for display and wow-factor only, a showcase for your wine (we would not recommend an ambient display for expensive wine collections). Most clients however would like both a functional wine wall for long term storage as well as a beautiful wine wall to showcase their wine collection. There are many things to consider when opting for the best cooling system – WineWalls will technically assess your location and advise on the best cooling system based on your space and surrounding area. However, if you are having the wine wall cooled, you will also need to ensure the walls and ceiling, possibly the floor also, are adequately insulated (typically with insulation panels built into the wall behind any plasterboard) and moisture proof (foil backing to the panels). Glazing may have to be double glazed to avoid condensation building up. These are all areas WineWalls will advise you on.
Racking – undoubtedly the fun bit for the client and for WineWalls is designing the racking. If you have read our previous news item (The Art of Wine Racking Mar’20) you will see there is a lot to consider – it is important to get the look right, however many other factors such as capacity, bottle shape, whether you have wooden cases, feature bottles etc will be considered by WineWalls prior to providing you with our recommendations.
Budget – the important bit! WineWalls appreciate budgets are not bottomless and therefore try to work with our clients on this important area. We would normally carry out an initial quick assessment via phone or email and then provide you with some initial ideas and budget costs. We will then listen to your feedback and make recommendations where appropriate. There are sometimes areas we can reduce costs such as simplifying the racking or re-assessing if it is feasible to have a more cost-effective cooling system in place. Normally arranging a visit to carry out a technical survey can be important in confirming certain aspects, we can then provide you with a firm proposal. Once this is acceptable, any design changes to the racking tend to have a minimal impact on cost either way.
Once we have provided an initial budget proposal or even a firm quotation following a site visit, you may feel a wine wall may be too much of a project for you. There would be other options for you and we ask you still keep in touch with us as we cater for all wine storage and display needs. For instance, a factory made wine display can be a very cost effective option, with no need for a separate cooling system or having to insulate the walls as it is effectively a plug and play integral wine cabinet. However, the wine displays WineWalls provide will still have that wow-factor that a wine cabinet cannot give – from 4-sided glass displays to floating wine bottle positions, warm cool or coloured Led lights through to an extensive range of finishes. You may also be surprised how you can integrate a wine display into a wall or other area within your home such as kitchen cabinetry and have a stunning feature wine display for your wine collection.
WineWalls create all styles of wine walls and displays, always putting the customer’s design ideas and wine storage requirements first. We have carried out many installations throughout the UK and offer a no obligation initial consultation should you be interested in installing a wine wall or display into your home. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any enquiry as we are always happy to help and advise!
