Feb 2021
Wine X Home Time
Given what is going on, people are spending more time at home, so it is not surprising that they are turning their attention to improving their home decor. For wine aficionados, this means better integration of wine rack systems and display into their everyday living space, whether that be a living or dining room, a kitchen, perhaps a rec room or office space.
Beyond browsing the innumerable sites for countertop or floor-standing display racks (whether ornate wrought iron or simple wooden stacks, perhaps a superhero-themed wine bottle holder), it can be intimidating to think about wine racking with the bottles placed front and centre in full view, but it can be quite easy to integrate not only a functional but a beautiful racking solution in your living space.
Needs Profile
First it is important to consider your “commitment and collection profile”. More serious wine collectors may be willing to commit to an enclosed, conditioned display area using glass or other material to optimally store their wine. This would require construction expertise involving adequate material choices along with temperature and humidity controlling systems. With Liquid Systems premium made- to-order wine racks, you will be able to find among our dealers those that supply the expertise for this level of storage and display integration.
Tucked-away wall-mounted Liquid Systems Classic Series in blue colour scheme
Alternatively, there are wine “cabinets” to consider, of classic or modern design, offering fully integrated conditioning and often placed against a wall, or free standing if designed from a visual standpoint to do so. Usually, they do not require additional construction. These may be more attractive than your typical “wine fridges”, (although those can integrate beautifully into kitchen and other cabinetry!) and would be considered akin to a nice furniture addition. Again, our dealer network has extensive options on this front from a multitude of brands.
For the rest of us, (and there are a lot of us), we are content with storing our ready-to-drink wine at room temperature and regularly stocking it as needed. We may forego optimal storage conditions more suited to medium-to-long term aging requirements (besides, a lot of wine is ready to drink out of the bottle or perhaps after a brief decanting) but that does not mean we can not have a beautiful racking system which enhances our home décor. For wine fans who find themselves looking for a quick and easy solution to show off their bottles to maximum visual effect, Liquid Systems is an ideal choice.
Capacity
From 8 bottles to 800 and more…. before investing in a home wine storage and display system give careful consideration of how many bottles you have and what you plan to have in the future. This is part of a holistic approach to how wine integrates into your household. Perhaps you want only one central repository for your collection. Perhaps you would like to display a limited amount of wine in the open and stash the rest out of sight. Either are options for those wanting to integrate a visual “wine effect” into the increased time at home. To take the latter example, you could easily install a 9 bottle Liquid Systems display rack in your kitchen (away from heat sources!) or living room to show off some or your favourite drinkables or display your knowledge range from pinot to gewurtztraminer, or Napa to Medoc. In the meantime, the rest of your collection can be busy mellowing away in a more secluded storage area in the house.
Colour
We all know colour impacts moods and outlook, let alone aesthetics. The world would indeed be a sad place without it. When considering a wine rack, and the fact that you are contemplating an improvement in your décor, do take the time to consider your choice of colour. Liquid System wine racks offers one of the widest colour palettes on the market. We recently heard of a client that was designing a wine rack to complement their favourite football team… So be sure to check out our choices when contemplating your next rack!
Over-the-counter Liquid Systems racks
Installation Requirements
Liquid System offers several ways to install our wine racks, from wall-mounted to floor-to-ceiling connected. Like fine art, we do require our racks to be installed in a manner which ensures the integrity of the system. We shudder to think of the consequences of insecure racking. To install Liquid System racks, your planned positioning needs to ensure an adequate “backer”, which is usually wood of at least ½” thickness, or can be concrete, etc. Cabinetry is a great venue for integrating racks. One of the advantages of our system, is the versatility to use only a one “post” display that can be installed against a single stud hidden behind drywall. The location can be easily found with a simple stud finder, but for some they may want to co-opt the help of a knowledgeable DIY’er neighbour or hire a handy-service (nothing like drilling through electrical wiring or jabbing endless holes into your wall looking for a stud!)
So yes, we are spending more time at home and these are unprecedented times. However, sometimes that silver lining is just a few yards away in terms of integrating some of the elements important to you into your surroundings.