A wine cellar is more than just a place to stack and store your bottles. It’s about drama, hospitality, and convenience. The lights you choose to use in your wine cellar play a huge role in creating the right ambiance.
Here are a few ways you can use lighting to create the perfect wine cellar:
Low-Heat Light Sources
Incandescent and halogen light bulbs give off far too much heat to be used close to wine. Heat can easily damage your precious collection, so stick to light sources that stay relatively cooler, like LEDs.
Ceiling Lights
If you have floor-to-ceiling shelving to store your wine, you may want to illuminate them with LED Downlights. You can install them on your ceiling with special wall trims to highlight the angles of your wine racks. Track lighting works great for this too. You can also put these lights on a dimmer switch to control the light level in the room for different occasions.
Display Lights
Consider LED display lights for a little more versatility with your lighting design. They will work better for freestanding shelves or racks that don’t reach all the way from floor to ceiling. You can always find dimmable display lights, so you can control the lighting, look and feel with these, too.
Accent Lights
You can use accent lights to highlight shelves, bottles, or even the architecture in your room. They add another light layer, contributing to the space’s visual interest. Tape lighting can run along shelves. Use them to highlight each shelf for a uniform look, or just one or two in the middle to showcase favorite bottles. Get creative with accenting your racks and spotlighting individual bottles.
Back-Lighting
For the most significant impact, try back-lighting your wine racks. This type of lighting silhouettes your bottles, making the room look clean and modern. Just install micro fluorescent lights or light bars behind a translucent panel and watch your wine shine!
Chandeliers and Hanging Lights
Depending on the size of your wine cellar, a chandelier or pendant light makes a great finishing touch and can set the mood for the entire room. A traditional chandelier may make your cellar feel regal and old-world.
If you are considering adding a wine cellar to your home, contact us to help you design everything from lighting to storage and display options.
