When David and Vickie McFarland set out to remodel their Bighorn Golf Club house nearly two years ago, they discovered an awkward upstairs and downstairs closet that was originally intended as an elevator shaft. While seeking an alternate use of the space might be daunting to some people, the husband-and-wife team of custom-home builders pooled their cutting-edge imaginations to create something truly innovative: a two-story wine refrigerator.
The McFarlands designed the space for maximum storage and visibility of their more than 700 bottles of wine, granting access to the collection through glass doors on both the upper and lower levels. The towering, see-through wine enclosure emerged as a dazzling centerpiece to the home, but the couple made sure the construction of the storage area was also practical.
“We used modern elements — aluminum, glass, and low-voltage lighting,” David says. “There are dual thermostats, one for the top [story] and one for the bottom, so they can be set to your desired temperatures.”