Turn Small Unused Kitchen Spaces Into An Eye-Catching Wine Display

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Most of us don't have room for a wine cellar, and sometimes there is not even a spot for a proper wine rack in a tiny kitchen. As nice as it would be to display your beloved collection of the best Trader Joe's wine, where would it go? Valid question — with a little creativity and some unused space, your favorite bottles can be displayed within easy reach.

Consider for a moment where there is a space or gap in your kitchen that cannot fit anything practical. Maybe there are a few inches between the fridge and the wall — you might find yourself shoving reusable grocery bags here. Perhaps the side of the pantry has a similar gap, and this is the spot where the broom lives. Or, take a look at your cabinets — is there a bare side available? Now, reimagine the potential and consider storing wine here.

Wine bottles, although they may seem clunky or heavy, can squeeze into surprisingly slim spaces. When laid down, although the bottles are long, they don't have a lot of width. The bottom is the widest part — less than 3.5 inches wide for the standard bottle — perfect for sneaking into small cracks where nothing else fits. 

If choosing to make use of the thin space on the side of the fridge or pantry, a thin, free-standing or wall-attached rack could be purchased to squeeze in there. Be sure to measure the space you have to work with before buying anything. You'll typically only be able to have a rack that stores one bottle on each level, possibly two if the space is greater than 6 inches. Remember correct wine storage protocol — only use these spaces if the bottles won't be exposed to heat or sunlight.

A custom, DIY design may be best for wine storage that stretches from floor to ceiling. You can build little cubbies for your wine bottles next to the fridge, for example. But if you have a slightly wider space, a good option is the Kings Brand Furniture Narenda Freestanding Floor Wine Rack. There are more options for thin wall-mounted wine racks on Amazon; for example, there's the black metal Aqarea Wall-Mounted Wine Rack that supports 10 wine bottles.

If using the side of the pantry or cabinet where there is no wall, but just open space, you luckily have more flexibility. Of course, you don't want the bottles protruding into a walkway where you might hit a hip or the side of your head, but remember, wine bottles are thin and can be tastefully tucked away. For a larger option, there's the Hencawima 5-Tier Freestanding Wine Rack that holds 50 bottles. Planning on only keeping a few bottles of Costco's best bargain wines on hand? Go for the Hoctieon Wall Mount Wine Rack that holds six bottles.