5 Other Uses for Wine Racks in Your Kitchen
We all know that wine racks are a go-to when it comes to storing wine, but what if I told you that there are several other uses for wine racks in the kitchen? For starters, wine racks can be used for storing other beverages besides wine. Beyond that, their innate charm lends to many other uses. In fact, there are a number of witty ideas that crafty connoisseurs have come up with.
Whether you’re a wine drinker or not, we can all agree that wine racks have a certain organized elegance to them. Here are 5 other ways to get the most out of your wine racks…
1. Put Your Green Thumb Into It
When it comes to cooking, there is nothing better than using fresh herbs. Why not start a fresh herb garden right in your own kitchen? According to LifeHacker.com, the IKEA Vurm wine rack will do the trick perfectly.
Instead of mounting it vertically, mount it horizontally onto the kitchen wall of your choice and…Voila! It’s ready to hold your favorite herbs of choice. The kitchen is a great environment to help your greens keep growing year-round.
2. Collect Your Favorite Gastronomy Magazines
I love using recipes from magazines such as Bon Appetit and reading about the latest wine trends in Wine Spectator. I also love keeping these magazines so I can read them more than once. Stacks of magazines can easily dampen your kitchen aesthetic, though.
A great way to solve this issue in an appealing style is to roll your magazines up and stick them right into the wine rack bottle holders. No more damaged, dusty, or forgotten magaines! Not to mention, it’s much more convenient than digging through a pile of magazines to enjoy with your next morning cup of coffee (or evening glass of wine).
3. Organize Your Kitchen Towels
Another great way to use your wine rack is for your kitchen towels. Kitchens tend to be the most humid room in a home, which could lead to musty smelling towels if left in a drawer for too long. Towels that are rolled up on a rack usually have more air exposure than kitchen towels folded in a drawer.
This will keep them fresher and easily accessible. Another perk of storing your kitchen towels this way is it will be a lot more convenient to see and choose the color of your liking. Feeling yellow? Blue with flowers? It’s all about setting a vibe… hey, details matter!
4. A Slicker Way To Store Your Oils (pun intended)
Wine and olive oil go hand in hand. A lot of times, where there are grapevines, you will also find olive trees. Wine lovers may be aware of the massive grape varieties in the world, but did you know there are abundant olive varieties as well?
Many times, wine bottles are even used to bottle oils…so why not store your oils as you would your wines? And don’t forget those flavorful balsamic vinegars…after all, they’re also made from grapes!
Keep in mind, it’s best to store oils out of direct sunlight, such as in a pantry. Too much light exposure can damage the antioxidants found in oil, making it rancid.
5. Lighting up the Room…One Bottle at a Time
If you are a wine lover, a fantastic way to reuse your empty wine bottles is to make a brilliant display that will light up your whole kitchen, or any other room in the house!
Having trouble peeling the label off? An easier way to get a clean peel is to pour boiling water into the bottle and wait five minutes. This will melt the glue of the label, making it easy to remove.
Pro tip: If you want to remember a wine that you enjoyed, the label can be stuck onto any paper or surface as the glue will still be tacky. Or, create a virtual log by snapping a cell photo.
Overall, the possibilities are endless…as long as you have an open mind and some creativity! There are many different styles of wine racks, from traditional wood to more modern looking wire or steel. This is great news because, as you can see, there are many other uses or wine racks in the kitchen and around your home.
You definitely don’t have to spend a fortune, as you can find reliable, beautiful wine racks for about $20. Wine racks are an excellent way to save space, maintain a tidy kitchen, and give your home a touch of class courtesy of the wine world.
Katarina Jelks is a professionally trained sommelier from Hawaii. She received her Wine & Management Diploma from Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. Her experience working across the wine industry, in locations all around the world (France, Australia, New Zealand, the US & more), has resulted in a global perspective. She loves sharing her passion with others and helping them to chase their thirst for interesting wine and great food.