In a historic building in the heart of Rome, an attic space becomes a climate-controlled wine cellar for a bespoke home, designed around an important collection, the constraints of the existing architecture and the wish to make use of every available centimetre.
A wine cellar designed within the existing architecture
The project began during the renovation of a top-floor residence in a historic building in central Rome. The client, a passionate wine lover, wanted to create an apartment wine cellar to house a significant part of the collection, made up of Italian and French labels and bottles in different formats.
The chosen space, however, came with some precise constraints. A large wooden beam had to be preserved and the available depth was limited. After the site survey, Showine developed the bespoke wine cellar design, working on the insulation of the walls, sides and floor.
The usable depth of around 60 centimetres was used to place two bottles lying one behind the other, setting up the project from the outset to make the most of the space.
Designed around the collection
The cellar furniture was made to measure in solid oak, with a finish defined through dedicated samples in a temperature- and humidity-controlled environment. Three glass doors give rhythm to the composition, with sliding shelves in the central section and open compartments below for wooden cases.
Every element was calibrated to the actual features of the collection. Alongside important Italian wines, there were original wooden cases, numerous Burgundy labels and several magnums. For these, fixed shelves with dedicated milled grooves were designed to hold the bottles securely in place.
When a few millimetres make the difference
To increase the cellar's capacity further, some vertical dividers were made of sheet metal instead of wood. A seemingly minor choice that, by reducing the thickness of the structure, freed up the space needed for an extra bottle.
It is one of the details that best captures the nature of the project: every centimetre was studied according to the available space and the collection it was to hold.
Integrated technology, a discreet presence
The wine cellar's cooling system was also built directly into the composition. The indoor unit is hidden at the back of the furniture and distributes air along the wall, while grilles milled into the wood allow it to return at the front. The attic position also made it possible to place the outdoor unit on the roof above.
The same care went into the finishes. The shade of oak was chosen from physical samples, and warm lighting integrated into the furniture accompanies the cellar, enhancing bottles and materials without altering the atmosphere of the room.
The result is a bespoke apartment wine cellar that fits naturally into a complex part of the home, combining storage capacity, design precision and continuity with the interior.
A bespoke wine cellar in a historic attic in Rome
In a historic building in the heart of Rome, an attic space becomes a climate-controlled wine cellar for a bespoke home, designed around an important collection, the constraints of the existing architecture and the wish to make use of every available centimetre.
A wine cellar designed within the existing architecture
The project began during the renovation of a top-floor residence in a historic building in central Rome. The client, a passionate wine lover, wanted to create an apartment wine cellar to house a significant part of the collection, made up of Italian and French labels and bottles in different formats.
The chosen space, however, came with some precise constraints. A large wooden beam had to be preserved and the available depth was limited. After the site survey, Showine developed the bespoke wine cellar design, working on the insulation of the walls, sides and floor.
The usable depth of around 60 centimetres was used to place two bottles lying one behind the other, setting up the project from the outset to make the most of the space.
Designed around the collection
The cellar furniture was made to measure in solid oak, with a finish defined through dedicated samples in a temperature- and humidity-controlled environment. Three glass doors give rhythm to the composition, with sliding shelves in the central section and open compartments below for wooden cases.
Every element was calibrated to the actual features of the collection. Alongside important Italian wines, there were original wooden cases, numerous Burgundy labels and several magnums. For these, fixed shelves with dedicated milled grooves were designed to hold the bottles securely in place.
When a few millimetres make the difference
To increase the cellar's capacity further, some vertical dividers were made of sheet metal instead of wood. A seemingly minor choice that, by reducing the thickness of the structure, freed up the space needed for an extra bottle.
It is one of the details that best captures the nature of the project: every centimetre was studied according to the available space and the collection it was to hold.
Integrated technology, a discreet presence
The wine cellar's cooling system was also built directly into the composition. The indoor unit is hidden at the back of the furniture and distributes air along the wall, while grilles milled into the wood allow it to return at the front. The attic position also made it possible to place the outdoor unit on the roof above.
The same care went into the finishes. The shade of oak was chosen from physical samples, and warm lighting integrated into the furniture accompanies the cellar, enhancing bottles and materials without altering the atmosphere of the room.
The result is a bespoke apartment wine cellar that fits naturally into a complex part of the home, combining storage capacity, design precision and continuity with the interior.
The project gallery