The Built-In Kitchen Feature That's Making Your Space Look Incredibly Outdated

If you consider yourself an oenophile (a passionate lover of wine), then it's quite likely you always keep several vintages on hand. You may even have one of those specialty cabinets in your kitchen with the diamond-shaped openings designed to store a few bottles within easy reach. What you might not know, however, is that those built-in wine racks are seriously dating your home. Which means it might be time to consider repurposing your wine rack as a clever storage hack in your kitchen instead, and start storing your wine in a more modern, sophisticated way.

Cabinets built for highly-specific functions were a growing trend in the 1980s, and the built-in wine cabinet was a classic example. Showcasing your collection of vintages was a statement of extravagance and luxury, and everyone wanted in on the action. However, as those display racks became more common over the decades, they also became more insipid. Meaning that while your built-in wine cabinet may still be making a design statement, it is likely now one that advertises the last time your kitchen was redecorated than anything else. Wine aficionado or otherwise, there are some rules around how to properly store wine. However, there are better (and more inspired) ways to do it than with the tired kitchen built-in.

Not only have wood, diamond-shaped wine racks lost their aesthetic appeal, but they also may not have been doing a very good job of storing your collection in the first place. To truly preserve the quality of wine, it is essential that the temperature, humidity, and light is carefully controlled. These conditions are difficult (at best) to manage in an active kitchen. So make a quick update to the look of your home by removing — or repurposing — your built-in wine cabinet, and installing a different storage solution for your bottles. 

Wine refrigerators are a fantastic option because they manage all of the essential factors at the same time. Better yet, they are modern and sleek. These fridges can instantly upgrade your kitchen and eliminate the outdated look of built-in racks. Plus, the mini fridge can be tucked in a base cabinet or island and house other beverage or snack items.

Of course, if you don't have the space for a dedicated fridge, there are creative ways to DIY your own stylish wine rack that doesn't give off a dated look. Consider installing shelves on the wall, out of direct sunlight, so your bottles double as decor. Or, in just a day, build a stylish wooden wine rack with built-in storage for glasses, which becomes a functional and chic wall-mounted workstation. You can even remove the built-in rack and turn the cupboard back into a regular cabinet to create more essential kitchen space.