If you’re cellaring good wine, it’s only right that it has good lighting too. However, as with wine, lighting is down to personal taste and the space you’re lighting up. We’ve put together some of our favourite styles to get you started.

Storage cellars

For larger collections that will be aging for many years, you won’t want a huge amount of lighting, but enough that you can easily check your stock as needed. You’ll also want something that is easy to replace the bulb if you’re cellaring long term (10+ years). We recommend warm white LED lights - these are energy efficient, reliable and not too bright on the eyes in an otherwise dark space. LEDs also won’t get as hot as halogen globes- better for temperature control. A protective casing, such as a batten light or oyster, are useful for protecting against knocks. Slim-line models will give you a little more headroom if you have a low ceiling too.

Note: Warm white does not mean physically warmer, just that it ‘looks’ warmer. 

Show cellars

If your cellar is somewhere you like to entertain on occasion, a pendant light will add a more decorative element. We've seen some beautiful installations of traditional pendants with oak wine racks and/or vaulted ceilings. For a sleek, more modern finish, we recommend a bar multi-light pendant. For any pendants, ensure that there is enough ceiling height or opt for a pendant where the cord can be shortened the right height. If you are limited on ceiling space, wall lights are a popular alternative. As with pendants, you'll find a wide array of styles to suit your taste. From tarditional sconces to ultra-sleek up/down lights.

Cupboards, alcoves & under stairs

If your wine bottles are going to be on show, use them to your full advantage. Wine bottles are a popular tool with designers, and can add a truly stunning finish to a space. The different colours of cap, bottle and label, together with the refraction of light off the glass, make them perfect for displaying.

LED strips really come into their own here since they can be made to measure, ensuring you get the perfect fit for your space. Strips can be recessed to lie flush with the wall, or surface mounted. Some of our favourite designs are backlit bottles. You’ll be surprised at how low cost a custom solution with LED strips can be, and how great it looks.

Note: It is important that LED strips are installed correctly with a profile or heat sync to dissipate any excess heat.