How a Small Space Under the Stairs Turned into a Sophisticated Home Wine Cellar in San Antonio

Custom Wine Cellar Under the Stairs San Antonio Home Installation Project

Knotty Alder Grill Cover and Wine Racks

Not having a large room does not mean you can’t build a wine cellar in your home. Working with a master builder who has extensive experience in designing and installing custom wine rooms will help you store and display your wines safely and beautifully. Learn how Wine Cellar Specialists transformed a tiny space under the stairs of a San Antonio home into a sophisticated wine cellar. 

Custom Wine Cellar Design for a Small and Curved Space

Are you having a difficult time finding a place to store your wine collection? A basement, closet, garage, or space under the stairs can be turned into an elegant wine cellar with the help of an experienced builder.

Wine Cellar Specialists, one of our partners in building wine storage facilities, completed an installation project in San Antonio despite the limited space and the irregular shape of the room.

They were able to create a stellar wine rack design using one of the most sought-after woods in the construction industry.

They also made sure that the wine cellar was the safest storage place for their client’s collection. They prepared the room by insulating the walls and ceiling. They also installed a reliable cooling system manufactured by a reliable manufacturer.

Before starting the construction, they created black and white 3-dimensional drawings to show the various elevations of the racking, dimension of the room, and the bottle capacities. You may request colored CAD images for a small fee.

Features of the Home Wine Cellar

Custom Wine Cellar Under the Stairs San Antonio Home Installation Project

Left Wall Wooden Wine Racks San Antonio TX

When designing a wine cellar, Wine Cellar Specialists always makes sure the design meets all of the functional and aesthetic requirements of the client. They also take the time to find solutions to maximize the storage capacity and illuminate the wine room dramatically.

Custom Wine Rack System – Combined Bottle Orientations for a Beautiful Wine Display

Unlike ready built wine storage units, custom wine racks are specifically designed to fit the room’s size and shape perfectly and to maximize storage capacity. Custom options also allow the owner to add a personal touch to the racking, resulting in a wine display that stands out from the rest.

Elevation A

Elevation A is the wall located to the left as you enter the residential wine cellar. It consists of a wine rack that is 3.7 feet in height. Wine Cellar Specialists made it short so they could install the wine cooling unit above it.

The wine rack consists of a solid X-bin, which stores one bottle on top of another. It is also intended for storing wine in bulk. Another advantage of this bottle orientation is better organization of the wines based on variety, style, or size.

Panorama of the Back Wall San Antonio Wine Cellar

Back Wall San Antonio Wine Cellar Racking

Above the solid x-bin are single bottle openings for standard bottles. For added functionality, Wine Cellar Specialists added a tabletop to provide space for decanting and serving wine and for displaying a few bottles or accessories.

It added an eco-friendly feature to the room because it was constructed from heads of reclaimed wine barrels. It is called the Cooperage style tabletop, which displays the markings from the original content of the barrel.

Above the tabletop is the refrigeration unit hidden in a grill and box constructed from the same wood as the racking.

Elevation B

The back wall is Elevation B, which is the long and curved section of this elegant home wine cellar in San Antonio. To fit the curve perfectly, Wine Cellar Specialists used the true radius wine racks. The top and bottom sections consist of individual wine racks. The descending height of the racking was based on the stairs.

A high reveal display row lines the middle section of the back wall. It is ideal for highlighting some of the owner’s favorite vintages. The bottles are displayed at an angle to keep the cork moist.

This prevents the cork from shrinking and getting brittle. When this happens, the cork loses its elasticity and may let an unwanted amount of air to enter the bottle, resulting in oxidation of wine. An oxidized wine is undrinkable because of its unpleasant taste and aroma.

To add character to the display row, Wine Cellar Specialists installed LED ribbon lighting. LED lights are safe for the wines because they emit minimal heat. Wine damage is often caused by too much heat exposure. Additionally, this lighting option is energy efficient because it does not consume much energy like regular bulbs do.

Elevation C

Custom Wine Cellar Under the Stairs San Antonio Home Installation Project

Right End Wall Knotty Alder Wine Rack San Antonio Master Builders

Elevation C is the right wall of the wine room. It is where the shortest wine rack (3.25 feet) was installed. The top section allows for displaying two standard bottles or one magnum bottle in a horizontal position. The three solid bins below it were designed for wood case storage.

Knotty Alder – Smart Choice of Material for the Wine Racks

Many wine enthusiasts prefer wood for their wine cellar. This material can blend well with any décor and adds warmth to a living space. It is also easy to work with and offers almost unlimited designs.

Other reasons wood is a favorite choice of material in building climate-controlled wine cellars include its ability to withstand humid conditions and high resistance to rot.

On this project, Wine Cellar Specialists used Knotty Alder. This wood species added a rustic appeal to the cellar. It displays attractive knots and burl clusters. It is also versatile and durable. Per the client’s request, the wine racks were also lacquered for a richer, more finished look.

Efficient Cooling System for a Safe Wine Cellar in San Antonio

When building a wine cellar, Wine Cellar Specialists always makes sure that their client’s collection is stored in a safe place.

In addition to installing the proper room insulation, they use commercial grade wine cooling systems from trusted manufacturers.

On this project, they installed a ductless split refrigeration unit from US Cellar Systems. It is designed for maximum performance and offers a quiet operation. The condenser was placed in the garage on a high shelf. It was mounted on the left wall of the cellar, above the tabletop.

Work with a Wine Cellar Expert

Whether you have a small or large room for your next home wine cellar project in San Antonio, Wine Cellar Specialists will help you. Contact them today at +1 (972) 454-0480!

3-Dimensional Drawings:

Isometric Inner View Wine Cellar CAD Drawing Front Elevation San Antonio Home Wine Cellar Custom Wine Cellar Under the Stairs San Antonio Home Installation Project 3D Drawing Plan View San Antonio Residential Wine Cellar Isometric View Custom Wine Cellar San Antonio