Sometimes your kitchen remodel does not involve replacing all the cabinets. Instead you are trying to work with the existing kitchen arrangement and just replacing appliances and adding simple upgrades like new granite counter tops, lighting, and knobs. You buy the same sized appliances and slide them in to the same place that the original appliances occupied. It is easier to do and less expensive. However, what happens when one of the appliances is old, broken and something that no one wants. A 1970s trash compactor falls into this category.
A recent client was remodeling a 1970s kitchen in a Bethesda condo so that we could put the property on the market. The trash compactor had not been used for years. It didn’t match the new granite and stainless look. It would be expensive to repair and just as expensive to replace! What to do!
The buyer replaced the broken trash compactor with a new wine fridge, which could be installed under a kitchen counter in the same place as the trash compactor. Gone is the bisque broken (useless) trash compactor. In its place is a gleaming stainless wine fridge, with its glass door and back lit blue interior, promising perfectly chilled wine and good company with friends gathered around the dinner table. The seller was able to get a decent wine fridge delivered for only about $400 from Target – the feel good addition to your kitchen that doesn’t cost a lot! 
Wine refrigerators differ from everyday refrigerators in that they are designed specifically to meet the temperature and humidity requirements for optimal wine storage. Taking their cue from “smart” food refrigerators, many models feature microprocessors to help maintain their digital cooling systems.
Some models offer improvements on the standard fixed chrome-wire shelves of food refrigerators; with roll-out shelves, bottles can be accessed and replaced more easily. If you opt for roll-out shelves, make sure they glide smoothly. The best models offer wooden shelves with “grippers” to cradle your precious wine more snugly. Wine refrigerators are prone to a certain amount of vibration, which over time can degrade the quality of the wine. To avoid this, look for one with a rubber-mounted compressor; it will keep vibrations to a minimum.
If you plan to store both white and red wines — which ideally should be kept at different temperatures — you may want to get a dual-temperature model, such as the wine cooler offered by Vinotemp. To control the all-important humidity, experts recommend choosing a model with aluminum interiors and pebbled lining over a model lined with plastic. Avanti offers several thermoelectric wine refrigerators, which use absorption cooling instead of a compressor.
Glass doors offer the convenience of being able to check your wine inventory at a glance. However, make sure the glass protects against UV rays; sunlight is one of wine’s sworn enemies. Wine fridges are turning up all over the DC metro area – from townhouses in Kenwood Forest to single family homes in Georgetown! Check ’em out!
.Wine Refrigerators a Good Investment
If you are considering adding a wine refrigerator to your kitchen renovation plan, consider this: nytimes.com reports that this luxurious upgrade can be a smart move financially. By sending prospective buyers a subliminal signal of “the good life,” a wine refrigerator can add significantly to the resale value of your house. Even if you have no plans to sell, it’s a good feeling to know that your investment has added to your home’s value. The only caveat is that the refrigerator not be installed at the expense of storage space. However, if your kitchen is fairly sizeable, the wine refrigerator can be a strong selling point.
Need a Realtor with Imagination?
If you are planning on selling a property in the DC metro area and you want an agent with great ideas and experience in staging properties, be sure to give the Lise Howe Group a call. We are there from start to finish to help you prepare the property for market. We have lots of great ideas and reasonably priced contractors and craftsmen to get your property ready! If your goal is a hassle free sale for top dollar on your time frame, then you need to have your property in five star condition – and you need to have the Lise Howe Group on your side. Give us a call at 240-401-5577 to put us to work for you!