The Stylish Solution For Organizing Wine Bottles In Your Kitchen

Wine aficionados know the struggle of trying to keep all of their bottles organized without it looking like an absolute mess. In fact, if you like wine enough to keep several bottles at a time, you ought to have a dedicated storage system for them. But where to start? Well, IKEA has a very reliable and convenient bottle shelving unit that might do the trick. The OMAR shelf, which retails for $130, is perfect for anyone looking to upgrade their wine bottle storage system.

If you were hoping to forgo a wine shelf by clearing out a cabinet instead, think again. There's a very good reason why wine bottles are kept horizontally, and that's because it allows the cork to stay in contact with the wine. Keeping the cork wet is another layer of protection against oxygen getting into your bottle and ruining your wine. And sure, technically, you could lay bottles flat on a shelf, but that's a recipe for disaster. They might roll around, crack, and even break. If you have a lot of bottles to store, stacking them on top of each other is a guaranteed disaster.

So instead, wine enthusiasts get dedicated shelves, like IKEA's OMAR. This is a full-length metal shelf that measures 71 inches tall and can store 48 bottles. If you don't have the budget for a fancy store-bought wine rack and aren't up for DIYing your own stylish wine rack instead, this is the perfect middle ground. 

One of the key features of a shelf like IKEA's OMAR is that it's open. This isn't a wine shelf that you can close and conceal. But that's not a bad thing. The shelf is made of steel, which gives it a cool and modern aesthetic, perfect for an industrial decor aesthetic. It contrasts with more traditional wine racks, which are often made of wood, and we can perfectly picture it in a roomy loft in Brooklyn or Berlin. 

Because of its cool industrial look, this wine rack looks great in the kitchen. While it's possible to keep it there, there are some caveats. Ideally, wine should be kept between 50 and 59 degrees Fahrenheit, which is much cooler than most kitchens. Don't panic; if need be, wine can be fine up to 68 degrees Fahrenheit. This is more achievable outside of a kitchen, where cooking can easily make the temperatures spike, but it is something to keep an eye on if you want to display your wine bottles in your cooking space. One way to reduce the risk of overheating in the kitchen is to place the wine shelf away from windows to avoid it getting too much light. 

If you love the look of this wine rack in the kitchen, but don't want to risk overheating your wine, consider using the wine rack as clever storage for your kitchen instead. For example, the OMAR shelf can store other types of (less heat-sensitive) bottles, like juices, kombucha, or sparkling water. The rounded slots are perfect for reusable water bottles and paper towel rolls, too, so use your imagination!