A bespoke, multi-purpose wine rack
Most wine racks are simply places to store wine. But occasionally, they have another job to do – in this case, acting as a secret door. It takes some imagination to come up with such a design, but the client who commissioned it has no shortage of that – he’s a man with vision.
Having already seen us successfully bring his bespoke cloakroom design to life, the client felt confident that Tom Maxwell could do the same with his latest idea: a wine rack that nestles in the inglenook of the former Wetherby farmhouse he calls home and opens to reveal a secret staircase!
We were already familiar with the some of the complexities that come with an older building like this, such as wonky walls, but the wine rack project brought us some fresh challenges. This time, the design brief included:
Multifunctional doors
that open and display wine
Security
the client wanted to be able to lock the doors
Solid oak
the wine rack had to feel like it had always been there
A secret opening
With a secret staircase behind the left wine rack, only the one on the right needed to function like a door. But to ensure that both sides looked the same, we built a frame around both (to ensure that the working doors would close properly) and used oak veneered MDF, to avoid the kind of swelling and contraction brough on by heat and humidity, which can stop a door from working.
Creative display
Because the client wanted the wine rack to be integrated into the door, and for the wine in it to be on display, he’d come up with a design that afforded enough space on each side to lay two bottles horizontally, putting the shelves at an angle and with a lip at the front to stop the bottles from rolling around.
Hacking the lock
Halfway through the build, the client realised he’d left out a detail: a second lock (so it could be closed from both sides). We’d already selected a highly durable solid brass sliding lock for the front, so using our metal working skills, we added a slider to the back of it. To keep it out of sight, we fitted the lock beneath one of the sloping shelves at the top of the door.
From little acorns…
In the original brief, the client had specified the use of some oak from trees that had previously stood in his own garden. However, as much as we liked the idea, the wood wasn’t the right size or length, and it was still very damp. Instead, we achieved a natural look by using European oak with an oil finish on all visible parts of the wine rack.
Lighting on the move
Wine worth storing is wine worth seeing, so LED strips were fitted beneath each sloping shelf, where they’d be hidden but still have the intended illuminating effect. To maintain the integrity of the wiring, which had to be integrated into the doors, we used specialist hardware like that used in the electronically controlled doors often found in hospitals.
A pleasingly snug fit
With both the stone of the original fireplace and the wooden beam along the top of it being highly irregular, we had to install the wine rack in two stages to achieve a neat and effective fit. The first step was to install the furniture and make sure the secret door worked. After that, we undertook some very careful scribing to ensure a clean finish to this extraordinary project.
Testimonial
“I found Tom Maxwell’s business online and when there is no recommendation you are always cautious as to whether you have found capable craftspeople.
Every step of the way, I was given different options and costs, from the type of wood to be used to the interior/exterior finish, the dimensions, the positioning of the shelving and the colour.
Once the choices were made, a price and timescale were agreed.
Tom’s team are clearly passionate about what they do, I was able to call into the workshop to see the stages of the production and found his colleagues professional, able and courteous.
Delivery was exactly when they said it would be and the installation was seamless, resulting in a superb functional piece of furniture.
If you have any doubts or concerns as to Tom Maxwell’s company and his team’s ability please relax and be assured of my recommendation.”
Our Client from Wetherby
The Gallery
Materials & Finish
- Oak veneered MDF
- Solid European oak
- Rubio Monocoat pure oil
Hardware
- Hafele Loox 5 LED lighting
- Solid brass ball bearing butt hinges
- Solid brass throw bolt
