Ever had someone who constantly reminded you make the best out of what you have? No matter who they are, what they say is true and though it is not a must to heed their advice, it would be a waste to do so right? With that in mind, I would like ask you: "Does the house you are living in have a basement?" and "Do you like wine?"

If you sprung up from you chair and exclaimed "Yes!" to both of the above questions plus if you have been deciding for some time on how you can transform somewhere in your home to store your precious wine selections, have you ever considered to select your basement as the suitable candidate? I mean, why not? 

Most homeowners turn their basements into useful storage areas where they usually put aside or store stuff like unused electrical appliances, excess clothing, extra furniture and even their kids' toys. If you would want to steer away from such conventional uses, it would be a good idea to turn this space into something that is valuable that will add to your home value and brings real functionality.

Of all the available spots in my house, why the basement?

One of the main reasons why you should consider transforming your basement into a wine cellar is because as mentioned, it will increase the value of your property. In other words, you will also be able to turn a once un-glam or hidden away room as part of the main showcase of your home.

As many additions that you tend to add, you will gain the ability to leverage on more selling points of your newly improved home to potential buyers in the future.

How do we begin?

• A plan in your head

Before you begin anything, in terms of physical execution, always have a sound plan in mind – this is an essential step to take if you want to reduce any potential flaws to a minimal. Start with your budget management. Knowing how much you are able or willing to spend, can help you determine fast on how big the transformation will be. For example, is the whole basement needed for the transformation or whether just a portion of it will suffice. Your budget will also help you determine what fixtures and additional features, you can afford to have. Some of these things we are talking about are a tasting area, beautiful wine racks or even an ornate wine cellar.

• Visibility and lighting

It is not necessary to light up your wine cellar with very bright lights. If you want to create a more relaxing and chilling ambience, you can probably dim the lights a little or use warm lights to achieve that effect. As long as you are able to navigate your way through the entire basement, it should be good enough.

You can also play around with the placement of the lighting fixtures. Fixing them behind each layer of wine racks can also help create that luxurious and mysterious feel when the main lights are dimmed. It definitely adds to the romantic effect that wine has on people!

• Air ventilation and temperature control

You wine cellar has to be cool and dry enough for you to be able successfully preserve the quality of your wine collection while it ages with utmost grace. Hence, you will need to have in place a proper working system where it automatically regulates a constant flow of fresh air and maintain a fixed temperature that is neither too hot nor too cold. Ensure that you see this through till the end, unless you plan to face adverse situations where harm is brought to your collection and the cellar itself.

Experts and professionals at your disposal

No one is born an expert in anything, and it is only natural that we seek the help of skilled individuals to help us achieve and fulfill our plans. For this basement conversion project, there are many elements that have go into it, to make it a successful one – be it the creative design process or the technicalities that are often involved.

When things get hard, you tend to want to give up. Hence, instead of shouldering the whole project yourself, which is pretty impossible, seek the assistance of professionals and experts who are ready to meet your demands. Going for this option enables you complete your project even faster and more efficiently.

Saying goodbye to your own basement and welcoming a new member to your home's construction may take a while for you to get used to. But often, this big change is extremely rewarding! Just remember one thing, you are not alone and you can always leverage on the resources that are provided by individuals or groups who are more than willing to help!