The majority of wine coolers are freestanding and cannot be fitted in rooms with inadequate ventilation. Why not think about a built-in wine fridge if you intend to conceal your wine, either due to a lack of room or simply to brighten up the decor?
These can be properly disguised inside enclosed places for a seamless aesthetic, unlike freestanding wine coolers, which are wine coolers that are placed in open spaces like your cupboards or cupboard.
So how do you pick a built-in wine refrigerator? or How to hide a wine fridge? When selecting the ideal built-in wine cooler, there are numerous factors to take into account.
In addition to providing you with purchase advice for the best built-in coolers and information on how to conceal a wine fridge in your kitchen, this post will analyze the available options.
1. How can I hide a wine fridge?
1.1. Where should a wine fridge be hidden?
We believe that your kitchen is by far the greatest spot to conceal your wine cooler. The kitchen is typically the center of the house and the hub of activity and discussion.
It is already home to a large number of home appliances that, with just a little amount of planning, are already enhancing both their surroundings and one another. But what exactly do you mean by hide? Do you want it to be fully forgotten about?
If so, a freestanding wine cooler big enough for your collection but tiny enough to fit within an existing cupboard would be an option.
It might also be more subtly placed to house such a unit in a cloakroom or garage, but the point is that freestanding wine fridges can be placed almost anywhere.
However, we have a variety of solutions if your goal is to store your collection without making the wine cooler a focal point.
1.2. How to Hide A Wine Fridge?
Here are a few ways to hide a wine fridge:
- Build a custom cabinet around the wine fridge: You can create a custom cabinet around the wine fridge that matches your kitchen cabinetry. This way, the fridge will blend seamlessly with the rest of your kitchen.
- Use a freestanding screen: You can use a freestanding screen or room divider to hide the wine fridge. Place it in front of the fridge to block it from view.
- Install a sliding barn door: Another option is to install a sliding barn door in front of the wine fridge. This will not only hide the fridge but also add a rustic touch to your kitchen.
- Use a curtain or fabric panel: You can hang a curtain or fabric panel in front of the wine fridge to hide it. Choose a fabric that matches your kitchen decor.
- Create a built-in shelf: If you have a small wine fridge, you can create a built-in shelf above or below your kitchen counter to hide it. This will also provide additional storage space.)
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2. The Best Places to Hide Wine Fridge
When viewed in that light, these appliances start to appear less like nice-to-haves and more like intelligent design choices. We need separate zones for various activities because we now spend the majority of our time in the kitchen.
Consider the center of your entertaining area to be a wine fridge or beverage cooler.
Also, the entertainment area need not be very large to be effective. Whether it’s full-size columns or under-counter wine or beverage coolers, we’ve seen quite inventive ways for putting them in the work of our design partners and other interior designers.
Get ready to relax as you scroll down to view some of the nicest sites we’ve seen.
2.1. Flanking the Fridge
Install two twin Sub-Zero wine columns from the company’s Integrated Designer range of appliances to show your guests that you are an expert wine taster without really mentioning it to them.
Each may be calibrated to the precise temperatures of the varieties you prefer to collect, or one could be for reds and the other for whites. These appliances, which are placed immediately adjacent to two refrigerator columns, allow you to quickly access your favorite bottles during happy hour or dinner.
You’ll appreciate not having to leave the party to get more drinks.
2.2. Twinning with the Fridge
Many homeowners consider a French door refrigerator to be the holy grail. Because, unlike traditional freezer-top refrigerators, they allow you to keep all of your fresh food at eye level while taking up less space overall thanks to its narrower doors and broader inside shelves.
We also adore the contemporary style. One excellent illustration is this Bosch refrigerator. Why not take another chance? The same advantages are present with a French door beverage cooler, which also looks classy when placed beneath counters.
2.3. Escaping to the Island
This kitchen’s peninsula was replaced with an extra-long island. A Marvel beverage cooler was then positioned next to the wet bar at one end, directly across from a coffee station, and a kitchen island table at the other. The resulting flow is flawless day and night.
2.4. Luxuriating in a Bathroom
Build a bathroom vanity around an under-counter beverage cooler, such as this Sub Zero design, for a spa-inspired look.
You may use a Sub Zero beverage cooler to chill your favorite eye creams, sheet masks, mists, and stone facial rollers in addition to bottled water (or rose) and face towels. When they’re cool, they feel even more special.
3. Guidelines for the Best Built-In Wine Cooler
First of all, before purchasing your built-in cooler, it is important to thoroughly understand the many characteristics. In order to make the greatest use of your cooler, it is very important to evaluate the features that it contains. A built-in wine cooler must have the following characteristics:
3.1. Consumption of energy
There is a huge economic benefit in terms of energy usage because the coolers are smaller, in fact. Your power costs can be a little cheaper as a result.
Dimensions and Storage Capacity of the Refrigerator
Storage plays a crucial role. You need to pay close attention to how many bottles the cooler can carry in total.
A cooler may not fit into the area provided if you judge by the capacity of the bottles rather than the dimensions, therefore it is crucial that you respect the measurements you take.
3.2. Noise, humidity, and temperature
A wine cooler is distinct from an ice maker or a beverage cooler. It’s crucial to check the noise level of your cooler; typical wine refrigerators have a sound level of approximately 40 dB, but you may discover quieter options at Enofaber.
The temperature interval and the hygrometry system are two key requirements. The wine cannot be adequately preserved without them.
4. Advantages of hiding a wine fridge
The size of built-in wine refrigerators can vary, with many being small and portable. You will be pleasantly impressed by the equipment’s functionality and elegance if you decide to purchase it.
Built-in refrigerators have several advantages, including being relatively simple to install, perfect for small areas, gorgeous to look at, and, of course, easily concealed in any kitchen.
4.1. Simple to Install
Installing a new wine cabinet might occasionally seem like a daunting undertaking. Thankfully, the built-in wine chiller avoids this problem. Even if it is a part of interior remodeling, finding a spot for it and installing it are both rather simple tasks.
Also, if you have a cooler, you can set up the tools such that you can keep up to 100 different bottles in storage. Your wine will always be accessible with this cabinet.
4.2. Ideal for Small Places
The built-in wine cooler may fit in even the smallest spaces due to its tiny size. Because of it, you may now store your bottles without a dedicated space or a sizable refrigerator.
Also, you are not constrained to a certain model or quantity of bottles. You have the option to select based on particular standards and locate a cabinet that suits your requirements.
4.3. Aesthetics
It’s normal to be concerned about the appearance of your new wine cooler. That will be a significant component of the decor, after all. That will be a problem if it is crude or doesn’t go with the decor of the room.
Don’t worry; the integrated wine cooler blends in with your complete décor. This can even help you spruce up and make your area look a little more modern, whether you have chosen to place it in the dining room or the kitchen.
5. Can a wine fridge be installed within a cabinet?
Sure, however only built-in wine coolers can be fitted in a cabinet. The airflow would be obstructed if freestanding wine coolers were positioned inside cabinets or other small spaces.
6. How much room is required for a wine fridge?
To provide for the necessary airflow around the cooler, we strongly advise allowing a gap of 2 to 3 inches on each side, as well as on top and in the back. With these gaps, you won’t be able to create a full built-in appearance, but you should be able to use a freestanding unit within a built-in space.
7. How much space must be cleared for a freestanding wine refrigerator?
The correct clearance standards must be observed to avoid any unwelcome hot air buildup and to keep the appliance from breaking down. In general, this implies that nothing should be placed on top of the cooler and that you should leave 6 inches of clearance at the rear and 10 to 12 inches of clearance on each side.
8. Can I place items on top of a wine refrigerator?
As I am unable to comment on the unit’s material construction, I advise against placing anything very heavy on top of it (like another cooler or something very heavy).
Yet, the top of it feels solid enough to hold a bottle or two of wine as well as possibly your wine accouterments (glasses, openers, Coravin, and bar mat).
9. Will a wine refrigerator fit in a closet?
The unit must have 6 inches of space at the rear and 10 to 12 inches of space on either side if it is intended for freestanding installation. Never install a freestanding wine fridge in a cabinet, recessed into a surface, or under a counter or table.
10. How can a wine cooler be converted into a cabinet?
11. Can a wine refrigerator be placed close to an oven?
Also, you should keep your wine refrigerator away from other kitchen equipment that produces heat, such as your oven, microwave, dishwasher, or tumble dryer. This could increase the wine fridge’s internal temperature and put too much pressure on it to keep the wine chilled.
12. Do wine refrigerators draw a lot of power?
The electricity consumption of a wine refrigerator will be less than that of a typical kitchen refrigerator. A large wine refrigerator with a capacity of 300 bottles will consume more electricity than a small wine refrigerator with a capacity of six bottles.
13. Can a beverage refrigerator be housed in a cabinet?
More particularly, it won’t work to put a fridge into a regular, unmodified cabinet. Without adequate ventilation, heat will accumulate around the appliance, causing it to function worse and eventually fail. Heat is transferred from within a refrigerator to cooling devices on the rear of the appliance.
14. Can an integrated refrigerator be freestanding?
No. The refrigerator is a permanent presence in the house because they are physically incorporated into the existing cabinetry. However, there are size and design alternatives available, and some built-in models come in a freestanding variant.
15. FAQs
Can I set a wine refrigerator down?
By lying down, a wine cooler could sustain harm. It’s crucial to keep your wine cooler upright throughout transportation if you decide to pick it up yourself. If the compressor or cooling system is laid down during shipment, it may occasionally sustain damage.
In a short space, where should a wine fridge be placed?
- Kitchen: The kitchen is the ideal location for a wine fridge because you can easily serve visitors or yourself there.
- Home bar: More possibilities for entertaining are available when your wine is near to where you make your cocktails.
What can I use to place my wine fridge?
The recommended temperature range is 45 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Sommeliers advise keeping wine storage areas at a constant temperature and avoiding sudden changes in humidity because those things can taint the product.
Can I place a freestanding wine refrigerator beneath a counter?
Never put a wine refrigerator behind a counter if it is a freestanding one. The system would be put under more stress if a wine fridge, whether freestanding or built-in, were placed in a warm garage since it would have to work harder to get to the low temperature required to store the wine and keep it there.
What kind of area is required to accommodate a wine fridge?
Insufficient air space above, behind, and on the sides will prevent the cooling system from operating effectively. Your wine cooler requires an additional 2 inches of space in the rear, 4 inches of space up top, and 1 inch on either side to provide for the necessary airflow.
Why should red wine be kept in a wine fridge?
The ability to maintain the ideal temperature for your wine makes a wine fridge useful. It’s likely that you open and close your typical refrigerator frequently, which can lead to temperature changes. Wine bottles can become damaged by frequent temperature changes.
Where should a freestanding wine refrigerator be placed?
You should pick a freestanding refrigerator if there is limited space in your kitchen for a wine fridge. They may be positioned very much in any place in your house, including the living room, dining room, garage, and utility room.
How much electricity does a wine cooler use?
The electricity consumption of a wine refrigerator will be less than that of a typical kitchen refrigerator. A large wine refrigerator with a capacity of 300 bottles will consume more electricity than a small wine refrigerator with a capacity of six bottles.
How do you make a mini fridge look built-in?
Can you mount a wine refrigerator to a wall?
I advise you not to do that. Because the heat would not be able to dissipate if the wine cooler were to be positioned directly against a wall or cabinet, blocking the vent. If this kept happening, heat would build up and overheat, which would change the temperature within the cooler and finally prevent it from functioning at all.
Conclusion
After reading this post, I think you have an answer to the question: “How to hide a wine fridge?”. Your wine collection will age gracefully with the greatest wine refrigerator. Due to its inherent fragility, wine needs a specialized atmosphere to prevent spoilage. Wine dislikes light and needs a dim environment.
Unwanted movement or vibration shouldn’t be allowed to occur when the wine is present since it can loosen any sediment and ruin the flavor. For long-term storage, a steady, cool temperature of roughly 55 degrees Fahrenheit should be maintained.
The wine will essentially be cooked in an environment that is overly warm or exposed to temperature fluctuations.
If it’s too cold, it will freeze. While a wine cellar is undoubtedly the best place to store wine, most individuals cannot afford one. Investing in a wine cooler is a worthwhile and economical substitute.
With over a decade of experience in viticulture, Simon Conner is the perfect writer to help you find and maintain your prized vintages. As an expert on food, wine, and kitchen products, he offers his expertise to guide clients through every step involved with collecting and selling wines.