ON display

No longer relegated to musty underground cellars, wine rooms are now a design feature, writes Anél Lewis

- Anél Lewis

Necessity, as the proverb goes, is the mother of invention, so it’s not surprising that lockdown and restrictions on buying alcohol prompted a surge of interest in wine-storing options for the home.

Charles Etherington-Smith of The Wood Studio says he’s noticed a significant spike in enquiries for custom wine cellars and wine rooms in the past two years.

With more people spending time at home, greater attention is being paid to pastimes that bring joy. This includes displaying wine or spirit collections so that they can be enjoyed by all who visit the home.

“We are seeing more clients opting for slim wine displays integrated into their living areas as part of their overall design décor, as opposed to keeping cellars as separated, isolated spaces in their homes,” says Lauren Snyman of The Wine Room.

Furthermore, it’s not just wine collections that are coming to the fore in contemporary homes. “Many clients are also opting to combine their wine and spirits into hybrid serving areas where wine, whisky and gin are celebrated, stored and served, together with discreet under-counter coolers and ice machines.”

Much like a shelf of your favourite books, wine is being used to create a showpiece in the home, adds Chris Hartley of Display Wine. “So we are seeing many label-facing designs which create a great art feature in and of itself.”

Snyman explains that wine cellars are often more traditional with timber cabinets, while contemporary wine rooms make greater use of steel and glass.

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