1. Built-in styles instead of free-standing
2. Modern glass doors and stainless trim
3. Higher price tags
4. Larger capacity

Here are some storage solutions for 12 bottles or over 300.

Best in Price & Rating: EWC1201

This is one of the smallest capacities as well as one of the lowest prices. It also has the most ratings. It can hold 12 bottles and has options for vertical storage too. Noise was the biggest problem although others had issues with it getting cold enough.

Best in Design: Amalfi ART697550

This looks like a piece of furniture because of the rose cherry finish and the black granite top. The drawer on top changes the shape and storage of a standard wine fridge. There’s a 24 bottle capacity. It got pretty good reviews although the lack of controls was something reviewers weren’t too thrilled with. This works best in rooms other than kitchens just because of the furniture like appearance. Try to match it to the style of a buffet for a dining room.

Best in Feature Set: Allavino 2X-AWR157-SNT

This is more for the serious collector who need a lot of space for storage. This is a larger capacity wine refrigerator with 336 bottles. You’ll find:

Dual Zones
Built In or Freestanding Installation Options
Wooden Shelves
Stainless and Glass Doors
Handle with Towel Bars
Locks

Best Overall: Summit SWC1875B

Summit has an 118 bottle cellar that can either be built-in or it can be freestanding. There’s a glass door and dual zones. There are 14 sliding wooden shelves and led lights too. The glass doors have stainless accents and the rest of the cabinet is black.

There are two main trends in wine refrigerators this year. The first option is a glass and stainless steel option. The second is more of a cabinet look to blend in better with your decor or look like a piece of furniture.

The post Best Wine and Beverage Refrigerator for 2014 appeared first on Fridge Dimensions.

Under-Counter Wine Refrigerators

Conveniently Chilled

Written by FridgeDimensions Editorial Team on June 17, 2013

An under-counter wine fridge is one way to add some sophistication to your kitchen without taking up a lot of room. Here are some wonderful kitchen layouts to inspire you!

Contents:

• Smaller Kitchens
• LED Impressions
• Fitting In
• Central Island
• Additional Wine Fridges
• Wet Bar Fridge
• Integrated Look

There are multiple places in even the smallest of kitchens to install an under-counter wine refrigerator. It will use up some space that would otherwise be reserved for cabinetry. With very similar fridge designs you may feel boxed into one look but the placement and surrounding cabinetry can be quite unique.

Small Fridges for Small Kitchens

Contemporary Kitchen by Tyrone Kitchen And Bath Teri Turan

You don’t have to remodel your entire kitchen to get a new built-in appliance. Use this in a corner, breakfast nook or butler’s pantry. Upgrade to a nice stone or granite in the same color as the rest of your countertops. This smaller slab won’t cost too much and can work as a buffet or serving area.

Several commenters commented that this is the U Line 2000 Series 2115RS01 paired with the Wine Captain® Model – 1115WC but those exact models may not be accurate.

Blue LED Lights

Contemporary Kitchen by Reston Design-build Synergy Design & Construction

Most undercounter wine refrigerators are going to look similar with glass doors and stainless frames. To match a modern style kitchen look for blue LED lights. It helps to protect your wine if the glass is tinted and keeps out sunlight. EdgeStar is a brand that uses these lighting systems with their EdgeStar CWR181SZ, EdgeStar 53 CWR531SZ, and Edgestar CWR460DZ models.

Smaller Dimensions

Traditional Kitchen by Washington Design-build Four Brothers LLC

Four Brothers LLC shows that you can make use of smaller appliances that still look high end including the Sub-Zero refrigerator. When asked about the wine fridge the designer says that it is a U-Line. Notice how the cabinets go all the way to the ceiling in order to provide as much storage for cookbooks as possible.

The U-Line Wine Captain® 1115WC has smaller 15″ dimensions but it can still hold up to 24 bottles. Forget the traditional dual zone design. It comes with three temperature zones. It also has a professional handle choice. It has beech wood trim on the shelves. This fridge is part of the 1000 series. The 2115WC looks similar but is part of the 2000 series and is supposed to be “vibration safe”.

In an Island

Eclectic Kitchen by Chicago Architect Lilija Gelazis AIA

Mediterranean Kitchen by San Luis Obispo Kitchen And Bath San Luis Kitchen Co.

In the previous two rooms we see that the configuration can also be changed to build these into an island. The frames are slightly different with the second one using an overlay style so it blends in with the cabinetry. One Sub-Zero model with an overlay is 424G/O with an MSRP of $3,140. 424G/S is a classic stainless style with an MSRP of $3,665.

Multiple Undercounter Designs

Modern Kitchen by Culver City Architect Shubin + Donaldson Architects, Inc.

Storing more bottles doesn’t necessarily require a taller or freestanding cellar. Here several appliances seem to make up the entire island. It is shown with an overlay but it would look good with stainless steel too. The kitchen uses Viking appliances and you will need one with opposing hinge sides to get a French door look. VWCI1240GRSS has the hinge on the right while VWCI1240GRSS has the hinge on the left. Each of these holds 45 bottles but the designer doesn’t give the exact model used.

The Wine Captain® 3036WCWC is a 36″ refrigerator with dual zones and double doors and it holds 62 bottles.

Wet Bar Styles

Traditional Kitchen by Wellesley Kitchen And Bath Divine Kitchens LLC

This Divine Kitchens LLC design turns a wet bar into more of an antique hutch. However, there are plenty of outlets and there’s even a sink. What makes it feel more like an antique piece of furniture are the feet on the bottom and the molding. The corbels underneath the upper cabinets give the illusion that it is one piece. Plus the overlay and glass styles of the beverage center mimic the glass in the upper cabinetry. Wine Captain® has a few dual door designs where one is for beverages and the other one is for wine. 3036BVWC is for a modular overlay and 3018CLR is stainless with an icemaker on the other side. The 3018WC line has an important safety feature. One side is a wine refrigerator and the other side is a fruit crisper. U-3018WCS-01 and U-3018WCS-15 both come with locks.

Making it Blend In

Traditional Kitchen by Red Bank Kitchen And Bath Town & Country Kitchen and Bath

In order to make a wine refrigerator blend in with your cabinetry you’ll want to use the same height and similar dimensions as the dishwasher. This home coordinates the stainless steel style with a German silver farmhouse sink, metallic lanterns, and coordinating hardware on the cabinetry. The new appliances then won’t feel so modern.

Sometimes with kitchen design you have to start with the appliances and build a theme that will coordinate with it. Glass door wine refrigerators can be quite versatile so you can get your favorite style.

The post Finding Room for an Undercounter Wine Refrigerator appeared first on Fridge Dimensions.

Kitchens Featuring Wine Refrigerators

Cool Beverages

Written by FridgeDimensions Editorial Team on June 17, 2013

Wine Refrigerators are becoming a more common feature in modern kitchens. Here are some of our favorite kitchen designs featuring these useful appliances.

Contents:

• Modern Wine Cellars
• Under-Counter Wine Refrigerators
• Smaller Wine Refrigerators

When you envision a wine cellar you probably think of dark stained wood and storage for hundreds of bottles. You may envision a dimly lit room, brick or stone walls, and a carefully regulated temperature. It probably would be in a basement and look something like this:

Mediterranean Wine Cellar by Irvine Home Builders GRADY-O-GRADY Construction & Development, Inc.

While it’s a lovely concept you may not have room in your basement, or the large budget for this project. Maybe it’s not your style or you don’t need an entire cellar. With the new generation of built-in wine refrigerators with UV protected glass there has been a change in where these built-in’s are used and how they look.

Modern Wine Cellars

Contemporary Wine Cellar by Chicago Interior Designer jamesthomas, LLC

James Thomas LLC shows how far the cellar concept has come from a dark basement. Everything about the space is modern and there’s even a wall of windows in it!

There are subtle nods to grapes as the table base is inspired by grape vines. This kitchen uses custom cabinetry with Sub-Zero refrigerators. The design uses four cellars. The Sub-Zero WS-30 can use 147 bottles so you could install as many (or as few) as needed. The overlay model number is WS-30/O with an MSRP of $6825 while the Classic Stainless version is WS-30/S with an MSRP of $7,700.

Under-Counter Cabinet Designs

Traditional Dining Room by Duxbury Design-build ARCHIA HOMES

It makes sense to install this built-in where you will actually use it such as near your dining room. This room boasts country charm with the feel of an antique buffet. Go with an overlay style or refrigerator that still has all of the modern conveniences like dual zones. The Architect® Series II has models like KUWO24LSBX and KUWO24RSBX which require not only a custom panel but also a custom handle.

The modern piece fits into the hutch because of the window pane door fronts above it. There are also lots of details like smaller drawers and beadboard backing so it looks more like a rustic antique instead of just a wine cabinet.

Smaller Undercounter Dimensions

Eclectic Kitchen by Indianapolis Kitchen And Bath Shannon Poe

The obvious placement for this is a kitchen but Shannon Poe tweaks the layout a little bit. You could use this facing towards a great room or dining table. The same concept could be applied to a butler’s pantry. She also uses more of a hutch style that has plenty of storage even though the fridge is smaller. It’s a china cabinet that you’ll get a lot more use out of than purely just for display. Notice that it’s a totally different color than the rest of the kitchen which also lends to more of the feel of a furniture piece.

What is actually pictured here is a Viking beverage center similar to the VBCI1240GR or VBCI1240GL models which are 24″. You could stick with the same style in a wine refrigerator. This is a smaller 15″ style. You can choose between a left hinge (VWCI1150GLSS) or a right hinge (VWCI1150GRSS).

Taking price and space into account helps to create a built-in wine storage solution for many different layouts and rooms!

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