Parade of Homes

Parade of Homes Spring 2014 131 >> social trend-watchers know consum- ers are spending more of their leisure time at home, and they're continuing to feather their nests with the luxuries they once ven- tured outside the home to enjoy. Joining a growing list of features making the comforts of home more comfortable than ever are wine cellars and refrigerators. No longer content to simply decant a bottle of red or chill a bottle of white on ice, home- owners who value their vino are ensuring they maintain optimum storage conditions. "Every dinner party deserves a good bot- tle of wine," says Der- ek Faraci, president and general manager of Midland Appliance. "The next most im- portant thing is pre- serving the wine. Dif- ferent wines behave differently in different humidity and temperature, so specialty wine refrigerators and even wine cellars are all carefully designed to maintain the integ- rity of the wine." Rhae Redekop, director of wine cellar de- sign for Genuwine Cellars, says wine appre- ciation is a growing trend, and people are more aware of the conditions required to age a bottle of wine to perfection. Homeowners have a variety of options, at various price points, that let them indulge their passion for wine and add to the ambi- ence and even resale value of their homes at the same time. "The sky is truly the limit, especially regard- ing location," Redekop says. "Wine cellars in the home are now completely at the client's discretion. We have developed methods using new materials, techniques and tech- nologies to create sealed and climate-con- trolled wine cellar environments virtually anywhere." Redekop says clients often opt for custom- made wine cellars on the main floor, where they serve as display features and entertain- ing focal points. Wine cellars are also being added to dining room banquets and tucked into kitchen islands or pantries. Some homeowners are converting closets or basement storage areas into cellars, and they're finding options range from medi- eval-themed rooms with antiqued wine racks and wrought iron gates all the way to sleek ultra-modern looks that incorporate metal components. "We released our Metal Series in January 2013 and at least 80% of the phone calls we receive are customers enquiring about those systems," Redekop says. "We love to combine unique materials in interesting and unexpected ways, such as Thinkglass counters, backlit onyx, acrylic mounting panels, stainless steel rods, exotic woods and veneers and more." Cont'd on page 132 'Wine cellars are also being added to dining room banquets and tucked into kitchen islands or pantries'

• Cover