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Modern Custom Wine Cellars | Contemporary Displays in a San Diego Home


This kitchen wine storage solution is a great example of how we design and build modern custom wine cellars in San Diego and all of Southern California. With custom metal, wine racking designed by a master builder, LED lighting, and glass doors, this kitchen wine closet is a showpiece! Learn more about the construction and design features of this minimalist yet eye-catching wine display.

Custom Home Wine Cellars Built with Modern Metal Wine Racking

Vintage Cellars is known for being creative and knowledgeable in designing and building elegant residential wine cellars. We completed another showpiece in the kitchen of these homeowners.

Often, when clients inform us that they want a customized modern wine room for their collection, we recommend metal wine storage systems like VintageView Wine Racks or Ultra Wine Racks.

Jake Austad of Vintage Cellars designs and builds custom, modern San Diego home wine cellars.

In this wine cellar construction project, the clients wanted a distinctive look and custom features in their wine room. They prioritized how their wine cellar would look over how many bottles it could store. Our expert wine cellar designers created a proposal for storing 300 bottles using a very beautiful and modern wine cellar design. We worked closely with the interior designer to ensure that all of our client’s requirements were met.

Custom Home Wine Cellar Racking Crafted to Meet the Aesthetic and Functional Needs of the Client

At Vintage Cellars, we have transformed small spaces into unique wine rooms designed for maximum storage capacity. In this project, the client wanted to focus on the look of his wine cellar. His primary goal was to provide his prized collection with a beautiful wine display in the kitchen of their modern home. We customized the wine racks to meet his requirements.

We consulted with Maiden Steel, a well-known fabricator of custom wine racks intended for building sleek wine cellars. They created the steel structure of this modern metal wine racking installed in this modern home.

Custom Home Wine Cellar Components

This wine cellar was designed to blend in with the open floor plan and modern design in this stunning home. Our clients wanted clean lines, glass doors, custom metal racking, adjustable LED lighting, and an industrial strength cooling unit.

  • 300 Bottle storage capacity
  • Custom metal racking
  • Locking glass doors
  • Illuminated display row

Features of the Modern Metal Wine Racking

The vertical metal racking fabricated by Maiden Steel was custom-built to accommodate bottles of various sizes. It was installed on a wall facing the countertop in the kitchen.

A board panel was installed for the lighting system, but the modern metal wine racking could not be mounted directly on the acrylic panel. The wine racks needed more stable support, so our team installed floor-to-ceiling custom steel beams placed across the light panel ends. We welded the racking onto those beams.

The center of the racking consists of double-deep wine racks intended for storing 750-ml bottles in a label-forward configuration. We included shelving units on both sides of the wine cellar to provide storage space for magnums, Chardonnays, Pinot Noirs, Syrah Bordeaux, and other large-format bottles. We added a full-length angled display row in the middle of the racking and storage bins for cases and boxes at the bottom section.

Wine Cellar Lighting System

Illumination is a critical component in custom, modern San Diego wine cellars. The lighting system was carefully thought-out to complement the modern feel of the home wine cellar. The lighting fixtures were supplied by a company called MP183.

These wine racks were custom built for this modern home cellar. What do you have in mind for your own custom wine racking?

We mounted the white acrylic board on the wall and installed the LED lighting behind the white acrylic board to create a subtle lighting effect. We illuminated the middle section with a LED-backlit panel created by a lighting specialist.

We also added small light bulbs on top of each wine rack, which shines down in each small section of the modern metal wine racking. The lighting placed on the white back panel can be adjusted to achieve the brightness and mood that the client wants in his wine room.

Glass Wine Cellar Doors: Factors to Consider when Building a Glass Wine Cellar

Glass doors are ideal for building modern wine cellars In addition to allowing a clear view of the wine display from the outside, glass doors add a luxurious appeal to a space.

Installing the glass doors requires technical knowledge since glass plays a crucial role in creating the ideal environment in refrigerated wine rooms. The doors have metal frames where the glass panels were sealed. We used dual-paned thermally insulated glass panels to prevent condensation build-up. Condensation will trigger mold growth and cause temperature fluctuations and varying humidity levels.

Each section of the door can be opened separately, allowing easy access to the cases and boxes stored at the bottom section of the racking. Our team also added a security feature to the doors. We installed locks on the bottom of each glass panel to secure the wines from the kids. The door system has 2-side lights with a solid steel panel.

Wine Cellar Cooling System

The industrial strength wine cellar cooling system is hidden from view to maintain the seamless look of the wine room.

At Vintage Cellars, we always make sure that every wine cellar we build is not only visually appealing but also capable of preserving the wine’s quality. When you see this wine cellar, you will think that it has no wine cooling unit installed in it.

To keep the seamless look of the wine room, we made sure that no equipment was visible. We concealed the mechanical parts of the RMD wine refrigeration system in the laundry room located on the opposite side of the wine cellar. We inserted the return and supply ducts on the ceiling and mounted a stylish grille cover.

The ducted split wine cooling system offers a quiet operation since the condenser can be installed in a mechanical room, which is the laundry room in this project. We housed the components in a custom enclosure to keep the big piece of equipment from view, considering the commercial wine cooling unit is not attractive. The housing is removable to make it easier to remove the unit for annual maintenance, check-ups, and repairs. Other types of cooling units that are easy to install are the through-the-wall units like the ones provided by CellarCool.

Why Your Wine Cooling System Needs an Annual Maintenance Service

We recommend that you avail of an annual maintenance service plan to keep your wine cooling system running efficiently without consuming high energy.

During the service, we will check if the pressure levels, valves, and all the components are working correctly. We do not want you to experience wine storage issues due to low pressure, leaks, or lack of refrigerant. It will prevent costly expenses for the repair or replacement of your wine refrigeration unit. We want to give your climate control system a longer lifespan and provide your wine collection with the perfect wine storage conditions they need to age gracefully.

Let Us Create a Unique Metal Wine Racking System for Your Home Wine Cellar

A professional custom steel manufacturer helped us complete the entire project. We designed this custom and modern San Diego home wine cellar to meet our client’s desire to create an elegant storage and display area for his collection.

With our many years of experience, Vintage Cellars can put your design ideas together that fit your lifestyle and preferences. Customization options will bring your space to the next level, creating a showpiece in your home. You may opt for ready-made and semi-custom wine racks. In this project, the metal steel wine racking was hand-forged by a fabricator. We can work from scratch or modify your existing wine cellar.

If you need help designing your wine racks or building a dedicated wine room in your home, you can start the wine cellar design process here or call us at +1-800-876-8789. Contact us today to start designing and building the custom wine cellar of your dreams.

Like this wine cellar? See more wine cellar designs in Orange County California here.


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