Everything there is to know about wine cellars should be studied before you begin your wine cellar design. The easiest part of a wine cellar design will be assemling the wall wine racks. Assembly of the other design elements may be a bit more challenging. If you are not ambitious you might be better off storing you wine at a wine storage facility the picking it up as needed.
The Right Temperature
The best temperature for wine is between 50F and 60F (10C and 13C). It can be harder than you think to keep wine at this temperature constantly. Central heating is the main culprit in disrupting potential wine storage. Your heater is on during the day raising the temperature well past the ideal storage temperatures.
In the evening your wine may be subject to a temperature drop and it gets cooler. The wine expands and contracts as the temperature varies. One way to get round this is to use your basement, which is the best substitute for the stone walled cellars in old mansions.
Unfortunately a boiler in the basement can cause those detrimental temperature fluctuations that are so bad for wine. To keep your basement cellar at the right temperature you should make sure your basement is well insulated with odorless insulating material.
Natural Lighting
Since there is a low exposure to light, your basement is the best location for your wine cellar design to protect your wine collection. Light speeds up deterioration in your wines. Because red wines normally come in dark colored bottles that reduct the light exposure this type of problem will be less likely to occur.
White wine and champagnes on the other hand are very sensitive to light and this is heightened by the fact that they usually come in light colored bottles. So make sure wine cellar design allows for very minimal sunlight coming through.
Appliances
Wine is sensitive to vibrations and movement. Ideally when wine is put in a cellar it should be lying horizontally with the label facing upwards. If washing machines and dryers are anywhere near your wine cellar then it could cause some problems for your wine. These factors should help you decide if cellaring at home is right for you.