When you first moved into your house or apartment, there were probably a few things on your wish list. Maybe it was a fireplace. Or perhaps, a big open kitchen. And of course, you probably had a beautiful yard to grow a garden on your list.
If you consider yourself a wine connoisseur, maybe it was a cellar to store your growing collection of merlot, chardonnay, and rosé. But unless you have a huge budget or are building your home from the ground up, chances are an expansive wine cellar probably didn’t become a reality in your home search.
But if there’s a will, there’s a DIY way. You can certainly build a wine cellar in your home, as long as you have the building skills and a set of DIY wine cellar plans to guide you.
If you’re ready to transform that empty space in your home into a functional, beautiful wine cellar, read on to discover some DIY wine cellar plans as well as some inspirational ideas to get you building.
DIY Wine Cellar Plans for Your Home
We’re going to preface this by saying that most DIY wine cellar plans probably aren’t the exact size, shape, and layout as the area you’re working with at home. You’ll need to adjust the dimensions to fit the space you have, but these plans are a great jumping off point to get started.
Basement to DIY Wine Cellar
If you have an empty basement that you don’t utilize all that much, you’ve got a wine cellar just waiting to be built. Since basements tend to be colder and darker than the rest of the house, they’re an ideal location for the long-term storage of your favorite bottles.
These DIY wine cellar plans from This Old House give you some basic guidelines for making your basement wine storage-friendly. It includes tips for pouring concrete (if necessary), prepping your unfinished walls for drywall, installing fixtures, and adding a door.
Closet to DIY Wine Cellar
If you don’t have an entire basement to convert, consider going a little smaller with a DIY closet wine cellar. In these detailed DIY wine cellar plans, a standard-size closet is insulated and transformed into a passive-cooled wine cellar that costs around $500 to build. This small but mighty wine cellar holds up to 209 bottles and is simple and discrete.
DIY Wine Cellar Plans Overview
The thing about building a DIY wine cellar is that your project will probably be completely custom to your house, so no one plan will be the perfect fit. In this video, you get an overview of what building a wine cellar really entails and basic guidelines to follow.
Wine Cellar Ideas
Wine cellars can range from simple and elegant to complex and extravagant. Whether you have a small closet-size space in your dining room or a large basement that you can convert, here are some of the most beautiful wine cellars to inspire creativity in your DIY project.
Under the Stairs Wine Storage
Photo by Contract Development Inc. – Look for wine cellar design inspiration
If the area under your stairs isn’t being used to stash Christmas decorations or kid’s toys, consider transforming it into a beautiful wine cellar. This design features lots of horizontal storage as well as some display storage for your favorite bottles.
Basement Wine Cellar Remodel
Elsie of A Beautiful Mess shows off her incredible basement wine cellar remodel where they took a simple room made of plywood and turned it into something sleek, modern, and worthy of a wine collection.
Related Post: 10 of the Best Wine Grapes to Grow at Home
In addition to adding more permanent fixtures to the plywood, Elsie installed some extra shelving to store glasses and wine accessories as well as a sleek woodblock countertop. This remodel just goes to show that DIY can go a long way if you have the vision.
Arch-Style Wine Cellar Closet
Photo by RH Carder Construction – More wine cellar photos
This closet-style wine cellar features a classic arch entry way that’s quite elegant.
Sleek Modern Narrow Wine Cellar Closet
Photo by Coats Homes – Browse wine cellar photos
Here’s a more sleek and modern take on the closet-style wine cellar. This cellar is also tucked under the stairs, but it’s a little more closed off and minimalist compared to the previous design with glass walls.
Traditional Wine Cellar
Photo by Carey’s Custom Woodworking, Inc – Look for wine cellar design inspiration
If you have a big budget and an empty basement or room, consider this traditional wine cellar design that can hold as many wine bottles as your heart desires. It has lots of horizontal storage and a library-style rolling ladder for easy access.
Spiral Wine Cellar
Again, if you have a big enough budget, any style of wine cellar is possible — like this elaborate spiral wine cellar. This underground cellar is designed to be installed in your kitchen, and can hold up to 1,900 bottles of wine. Now that’s a collection.
Small Stone Wall Wine Cellar
Photo by Palmer Interior Design – Look for wine cellar pictures
Here’s a classic wine cellar with a bit of a twist. The rock wall design feels European and traditional, and the use of wine barrels as storage is old world style. Though this is a fairly small wine cellar, it offers plenty of storage for your collection and transports you to the 1600s.
Simple Glass Wine Closet
Photo by Patterson Custom Homes – Search wine cellar design ideas
If you don’t have a large basement or area under the stairs to dedicate to a wine cellar, here’s a clever way to keep your wine at the perfect temperature while still creating an elegant addition to the kitchen or dining room.
The wine racks are simple and sleek while the glass keeps the climate controlled. The subway tiles are a classic look that contrast well with the black wine racks.
Basement Wine Cellar With Storage Closet
If you don’t want to convert your entire basement into a wine cellar but still want to use the cold, dark nature of a basement for storing wine, consider this idea. The area under the stairs is dedicated to storing wine while the rest of the space can be used for seating, entertaining, and of course, wine tasting. This idea is budget-friendly, but still looks elegant and does the job of keeping your wine stored properly.
DIY Home Wine Room
This DIY wine room is another under-the-stairs-design, but the bright lights and neutral tiles makes it feel cozy, contemporary, and a lot homier than the more traditional options we’ve covered.
Important Details to Consider Before Building a DIY Wine Cellar
When it comes to selecting a place to build your wine cellar, there are some important details to keep in mind.
First, consider the dimensions of the space. If it’s a closet, you’ll need to consider what style of wine rack can best fit in your limited space. If you’re transforming a full basement into a wine cellar, you’ll have a lot more options in terms of design and storage.
Next, consider the temperature and light. In general, wine prefers to be stored horizontally, in a dark place, with temperatures between 45 and 65 degree Fahrenheit. Ideally, you’ll want to build your wine cellar in an area of your home that already has those characteristics, otherwise you’ll need to install an insulation and a cooling system.
Finally, don’t forget to consider the aesthetics. Building a wine cellar is a big project, so make sure to choose a style that will age well rather than looking out of date in a couple of years.
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