Achieve wine room luxury in the home

While luxury mansions and apartments are usually known to boast extravagant en suite master bedrooms, walk-in closets and even personal theater rooms, the growing trend in the property world involves homes equipped with their own wine grottos, with a twist. The new way of storing fine wines has moved on from the traditional dank-anddark cellar of old to a room strategically placed for entertaining, with much more prominence and an emphasis on style.

Wine collecting is becoming an increasingly popular pastime — which is leading to growing demand for designer rooms in which to house this tasty asset.

Wine rooms are no longer just for the avid collector either, with many being installed for the purposes of entertaining friends or to show off the homeowner’s creative flair.

Maintaining the standard requirements for a temperature-controlled area may be the only element wine lovers are retaining from the older-style cellars.

Wine rooms have moved a world away from a simple temperature-controlled cupboard to a full tasting experience. Indeed, some are like art galleries, designed to make you stop and stare. If previous styles of wine rooms were simply about storage, today are about the whole social scene that goes with consuming — not just collecting — fine wines.

They are decorated with fully stocked wine racks, comfy seating, a central table and sometimes a “spitting bowl” so buyers can not only store their wine collections in the best possible conditions but also invite friends over for tasting sessions. These rooms have evolved into beautiful showpieces.

A prime example is this octagonal space in a home in west Houston that was remodeled and repurposed into a wine room with Gatsby-style opulence.

However, it is important to note that unlike a remodeled kitchen or an updated master bathroom, a wine room is not something that real estate agents generally estimate will add value to your home. That means if you intend to invest in wine and a space to keep it, you’d better really enjoy it. But how hard can that be?

Photo courtesy of Gryphon Builders This room was transformed into an elegant wine room by Gryphon Builders.