From Ordinary to Showpiece: A Small Wine Closet Design That Redefines What’s Possible

Small spaces are not a hindrance to build an amazing wine cellar. This former coat closet certainly proves it!

What was once a forgotten coat closet near the entryway is now a luminous small wine closet designed to cater to over 400 prized bottles. Inside this Southern California home, Cachet Wine Cellars proves that luxury and innovation aren’t measured in square footage—but in vision.

The Space You’d Least Expect

Right when you walk through the front door of this Southern California home, you’re greeted by something unexpected. Not a grand staircase, not a statement light fixture, but a pretty wine cellar custom-built to protect an amazing wine collection.

This is a wine cellar that’s not the kind tucked away in a basement. This one used to be a coat closet.

It’s small. It’s quiet. It’s beautifully designed. And it proves you don’t need a huge space to make something special.

This small wine closet design was created to accommodate both wine and liquor bottles.

Small Space, Big Vision

After interviewing a few other companies (who all said the space was too small or not worth the hassle), the homeowner found Cachet—and everything clicked. “They actually saw the possibility,” the homeowner said.

Designer Alex Madison and the Cachet team were ready to transform the footprint into a modern wine cellar  that would feel custom, not cramped. And they pulled it off—beautifully.

Using Every Wall, Every Inch

The cellar now holds over 400 bottles, thanks to smart use of all three walls:

• The back wall features triple-deep VintageView metal racks—perfect for showcasing labels forward—with custom alderwood diamond bins below for larger bottle storage.

• The side walls use double-deep VintageView racks, offering a sleek, minimalist look that still packs in capacity.

• And one side of the room holds a custom vertical liquor shelf, also made from espresso-stained alderwood. Built with integrated white acrylic LED light panels, it gives each bottle a soft, museum-like glow.

“It’s one of my favorite details,” Alex shared. “That vertical shelf makes the most of the space and gives the room a beautiful focal point.”

Framed in Glass, Sealed in Quality

The original French-style glass doors to the closet remained—a smart design choice that honors the home’s layout. Cachet added a Q-Lon perimeter seal and an automatic bottom door lock for a better seal, helping to keep cool air in and external air out.

These subtle wine cellar door adjustments turned the display into a real wine cellar —with no compromise in style.

Lighting That Elevates Everything

Lighting is one of the stars of this project. Recessed lights in the ceiling give the space a soft, ambient feel, while the LED-lit shelves add a warm, contemporary touch that highlights the bottles without overwhelming the space.

The light panels on the liquor shelf, in particular, feel like something you’d see in a high-end bar.

“It was important that the lighting felt cozy and intentional—not just bright,” Alex said. “It’s not a showroom. It’s a personal space.”

The WhisperKool Phantom 500 is the perfect ceiling-mounted wine cellar cooling system for small wine closet designs — it’s unobtrusive!

Behind the Scenes, Quietly Powerful

To keep the cellar at ideal temperature and humidity, the Cachet team installed a fully ducted WhisperKOOL Phantom 500 system. The supply and return vents are subtly integrated into the ceiling—nothing loud or clunky, just clean function that works quietly in the background.

There’s no visible cooling unit or equipment cluttering the view—just pure design.

Wine Cellar Closet Designs — Ideas in Action

This cellar checks all the boxes of a timeless wine cellar closet design: label-forward storage, layered lighting, a balance of materials, and a footprint that feels effortless and thoughtful.

But what makes it stand out isn’t just the design. It’s the story behind it—a homeowner with a vision, a designer who said yes, and a team that turned a coat closet into a glowing, glass-enclosed gem.

“Most guests don’t even realize it’s a wine cellar at first,” the homeowner laughed. “But once they see the lights and racks, they’re completely drawn in.”