We all have our vices to unwind, but what if you could find a way to come up with something rewarding and productive as a result of them too? There may not be a lot of wholesome aftermath to smoking or perhaps whiling away the hours on the best poker sites, but there is something to be done with leftover wine bottles and corks.
Whether it’s for a wine barrel poker table in a man cave or any kind of bottle and cork décor for around the house wine crafting is interesting because it is warm, rustic, and appealing whether a person is a wine lover see Drink Development Consultants or not.
Of course crafting with discarded wine products takes a varying level of DIY skill, but here are some interesting ideas that are at least possible whether for home use or for selling these items in the future.
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Wine Barrel Crafting
The big 60-gallon wine (or whiskey) barrels are a very unique item. They look cool as a table almost just standing alone but there is so much more that can be done once these distinctive pieces start getting broken down and taken apart.
Wine barrels are neat because they have a story when they were created originally and then when they were upcycled into a craft item. Each wood slat (called staves) for example has to be heated and curved while also attaching and tightening metal straps before attaching a top, bottom, and plug. This is a very specific trade, one whose craftsman is known as a ‘cooper.’
Wine barrels were previously used for transporting, but now they are mainly for fermenting and aging. Wine (and whiskey) absorbs flavors and aroma from the wood that the barrel is made from, most commonly oak. In the past cherry, chestnut, walnut, and other woods were used to provide floral, fruity, vanilla, coconut, and other flavors and aromas.
Since wine barrels are cool looking and also have a story behind them, they are a nice conversation starter as a piece of décor. Consumers pay hundreds if not thousands of dollars for some of these features:
Wine Barrel Poker Set
A wine barrel poker set can serve as the main focal point for a basement lounge. This design really gives a speakeasy feel as barrels can be cut down in the front, left high in the back, and crafted into some surprisingly comfortable chairs.
The lid of the wine barrel doesn’t have the diameter to be fashioned into a poker table top plus most people like playing on felt anyways, but a barrel can easily be used for the base of the actual table to make a complete set.
Wine Barrel Coffee / End Tables
The great thing about crafting coffee tables out of wine barrels is that you can get two features out of each barrel regardless if it is cut horizontally or vertically. Wine barrel coffee tables are cut the long way and fashioned with a decorative wood top and legs to go great with any type of design theme. Wine barrel end tables are cut horizontally, with the lid of the barrel serving as the top of a very spacious end table.
Wine Barrel Wine Cabinet
Another unique wine barrel crafting idea that doesn’t take up a ton of space is a wall cabinet. This involves cutting the wine barrel in half, with the flat edge going against the wall. The rounded front edge is then cut out and fashioned with racks to store wine bottles on, and then half of the top lid is still intact to place glasses, cheese, crackers, etc.
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Wine Bottle Crafting
The bottles stack up pretty quickly for those who love to dip into the wine on a fairly frequent basis. They can take up a lot of room in the recycling bin so why not prolong the bottle’s life by turning them into crafts (which is a hobby that is another good excuse to drink more wine by the way).
Vase
A little paint, a little glitter, and the next thing you know your old wine bottle is repurposed into a custom vase. The two best things about wine bottle vases is that they are incredibly easy to create and fun to decorate, but also you don’t worry about them breaking because it just means you have to drink another bottle for a replacement.
Bird Feeder
An upside-down wine bottle can also serve as a DIY bird feeder. The bottle is attached to a wood backing with a wood receptacle underneath. With just the right amount of space between the bottle and the receptacle, the feed won’t come out until the birds eat what has already been dispensed so it’s basically automatic.
Light Fixtures
There is a tool called a bottle cutter that can be used to cut off the bottom rounded part of a wine bottle. The bottle can be painted a somewhat transparent color and hung upside down as a very unique light fixture. Whether as a wall sconce or hanging light these are the perfect accent for any room where a person likes to enjoy their wine.
Wine Cork Crafting
Corks are smaller and easier to work with, but also when they are collected they can be put together to make some very creative crafts. Multiple corks can be fashioned into virtually any type of wall design from a heart to a letter to an animal paw to a snowflake, and endless other features. Corks are also great for holiday uses, as they are a great item for building small reindeer, snowmen, or Easter bunny mantle decorations or even a bride and groom for the top of a wedding cake.
When the wine bottle (or barrel) ends the fun doesn’t have to. These wine crafting ideas are a great way to get full usage out of your purchase and hobbying with leftover wine products is a perfect opportunity to enjoy a glass of vino as well. Many people have used their love of wine as a way to build a legitimate craft business so what are you waiting for, it’s time to drink up.
