Cigar Room/Wine Cellar Remodel in Lake Forest, Illinois

[OGStilts]

Here's a remodeling project we wrapped up earlier this week.

It was an existing wine cellar and small tasting room that we were brought in to renovate. The original wine cellar consisted mostly of case storage which we rebuilt to accommodate more singular bottle storage. The original tasting room was small, dark, and very rustic with it's knotty pine walls. The clients wanted to enlarge the room, make it a more formal space, and to put in a cigar smoke ventilation system for those occasional poker games with the guys.

Here's the Before Pictures:

http://www.blankandbaker.com/images/posts/LakeForestWineCellarBefore1.jpg

http://www.blankandbaker.com/images/posts/LakeForestWineCellarBefore2.jpg

http://www.blankandbaker.com/images/posts/LakeForestWineCellarBefore3.jpg

http://www.blankandbaker.com/images/posts/LakeForestWineCellarBefore4.jpg

[OGStilts]

So here we installed Custom Sapele Panels and Cabinets, installed a custom wrought iron door to the wine cellar, rebuilt much of the wine racking and filled in the stone floors where the walls were previously.

http://www.blankandbaker.com/images/posts/LakeForestWineCellarAfter1.jpg

http://www.blankandbaker.com/images/posts/LakeForestWineCellarAfter2.jpg

http://www.blankandbaker.com/images/posts/LakeForestWineCellarAfter3.jpg

http://www.blankandbaker.com/images/posts/LakeForestWineCellarAfter4.jpg

[OGStilts]

http://www.blankandbaker.com/images/posts/LakeForestWineCellarAfter5.jpg

http://www.blankandbaker.com/images/posts/LakeForestWineCellarAfter6.jpg

http://www.blankandbaker.com/images/posts/LakeForestWineCellarAfter7.jpg

http://www.blankandbaker.com/images/posts/LakeForestWineCellarAfter8.jpg

[OGStilts]

As we were wrapping up the project, the clients realized the old dilapidated bathroom in the basement just wasn't going to do so they asked us to spruce it up a bit without spending a lot of money. We put up some beadboard on the walls, changed out the plumbing fixtures, and slapped a coat of paint on it to clean it up a bit. Now the guys have a place to go during the big card games.

http://www.blankandbaker.com/images/posts/LakeForestWineCellarAfter9.jpg

http://www.blankandbaker.com/images/posts/LakeForestWineCellarAfter10.jpg

[naptownCr]

That wine cellar is HUGE
How many bottles did, and does it hold now

[naptownCr]

As we were wrapping up the project, the clients realized the old dilapidated bathroom in the basement just wasn't going to do so they asked us to spruce it up a bit without spending a lot of money. We put up some beadboard on the walls, changed out the plumbing fixtures, and slapped a coat of paint on it to clean it up a bit. Now the guys have a place to go during the big card games.

http://www.blankandbaker.com/images/posts/LakeForestWineCellarAfter9.jpg

http://www.blankandbaker.com/images/posts/LakeForestWineCellarAfter10.jpg

What you did to the bath is great. not expensive and a huge change to the look for a few bucks.

[OGStilts]

That wine cellar is HUGE
How many bottles did, and does it hold now

Yeah, it's the biggest residential wine cellar I have run accross.

They told me that the previous owner of the house had over 8,000 bottles of wine in there but that number includes many cases they had stacked on the floors as well.

I estimate that it previously held about 6,000-7,000 bottles with the case racking and now holds about 4,500-5,000 bottles.

[nEighter]

wow is all I can say. Great work man

[naptownCr]

I have seen quite a few wine cellars but this is definatly the largest residential one I have ever seen.
People who have cellars like this generally don't stock them with boones farm or mad dog.
if you figure a full cellar at 6500 bottles
average cost of wine at 40 each
thats a little over a quarter milliion worth.

[OGStilts]

I have seen quite a few wine cellars but this is definatly the largest residential one I have ever seen.
People who have cellars like this generally don't stock them with boones farm or mad dog.
if you figure a full cellar at 6500 bottles
average cost of wine at 40 each
thats a little over a quarter milliion worth.

They actually said the previous owners collection was worth more than $4M. :smash:

Too bad he didn't leave it with the house :grin:

[nEighter]

I have seen quite a few wine cellars but this is definatly the largest residential one I have ever seen.
People who have cellars like this generally don't stock them with boones farm or mad dog.
if you figure a full cellar at 6500 bottles
average cost of wine at 40 each
thats a little over a quarter milliion worth.


exactly what I was thinking.. man wine drinkers..

[SLS-Construction]

Nice work like always :2thumbsup:

[LivinTheDream]

Beautiful job! Those sapele panels have wonderful, classic detailing.

Sapele is a favorite wood of mine to design with. I love its gleam.

[ChrWright]

Beautiful work.

What did you end up going with for smoke ventilation?

[JasonW]

Wow! awesome work!

[Workaholic]

Beautiful work, it looks fantastic. Did the HO send you off with a bottle?

[OGStilts]

What did you end up going with for smoke ventilation?

We actually used your idea! Thanks! :2thumbsup:

We used two remote fan units, Fantech (if I remember correctly). Each unit moves 400 CFM and feeds two inlets each for a total of four inlets in the room. We also installed a 110 CFM bathfan at the top of the spiral stairwell in case any smoke wandered up that way. The entry door to the rest of the basement and the stairway doors on the first and second floors were sealed with weather striping to prevent it from escaping.

My HVAC contractor assured me that I didn't need to worry about makeup air for this setup so I'm trusting him on this. If I run into a problem because of this it will be easy to rectify. The only thing we didn't do that I really wanted to do is to automate the dampers on the heating vents so they would close when the cigar fan was turned on so that smoke wouldn't get into the heating system but the cost of this whole thing really became a point of contention between my clients so I think to keep marital bliss :surrender: the husband decided he could close the vents by hand. :builder2:

He was so excited to try it out he said he was going to go down there with a lawn chair and a cigar and try it out. Since I know I would of gotten an email or phone call by now if there were any problems, I think I can safely assume the exhaust system is working well. :grin:

[OGStilts]

Did the HO send you off with a bottle?

No :mad: :laugh3:

Actually the other way around. I had a couple of cases of wine made for Christmas gifts for clients last year and put my logo on the labels so I've been giving out a bottle of the left overs for the wine cellars lately.

[naptownCr]

No :mad: :laugh3:

Actually the other way around. I had a couple of cases of wine made for Christmas gifts for clients last year and put my logo on the labels so I've been giving out a bottle of the left overs for the wine cellars lately.

I heard that 2 buck chuck will put any label you want on it

[OGStilts]

That would of been a $1 more than I spent per bottle. :laugh3:

[OGStilts]

Actually, here is where I got it if anyone is interested.

http://www.windsorvineyards.com/

[naptownCr]

That would of been a $1 more than I spent per bottle. :laugh3:

Yeah right

Did you pee on their leg and give them the finger too?

[Workaholic]

No :mad: :laugh3:

Actually the other way around. I had a couple of cases of wine made for Christmas gifts for clients last year and put my logo on the labels so I've been giving out a bottle of the left overs for the wine cellars lately.

:laugh3:
I knew that someone gave someone some wine.

[Century Man]

Actually, here is where I got it if anyone is interested.

http://www.windsorvineyards.com/

I've been using them for about 20 years now. The personal label always makes a good impression with the clients and the wine is good which is equally important. If you decide to use Windsor mention OGStilts name and he gets a discount on his next order.

[Decoman]

Actually, here is where I got it if anyone is interested.

http://www.windsorvineyards.com/

Also some of the smaller Michigan wineries will do it as well, it makes it a little more personal when I have done it since I have been to many of the good MI wineries multiple time...