T
Twoyearsago,whileconsultingon thebuildingof a
15,000-square-footFrench-stylechâteau foragolf-
coursedeveloperandhiswife, interiordesignerLeo
Dowell of LeoDowell Interiors (leodowellinteriors.
com) proposedasomewhatunconventional idea for
housing thehomeowner’s impressivewinecollection.
Rather thancreatea traditional undergroundcellar,
Dowell,who recalledseeingan18th-centurywine
shop inParisabout tobedemolished, suggested that
theshop’scharmingexterior, including thedecora-
tivedisplaywindowsoneither sideof a fancy, etched-
glassdoor, couldbecompletely re-created inside the
lavishRaleigh,NorthCarolina, residence.
Toaccomplish the task, theCharlotte,North
Carolina-baseddesignerphotographed theshopprior
todemolitionandhad it re-created, right down to the
parquetwoodpanelingandFrenchscript etchedon
theglass. Later, hedesignedcustomarmoiresand
storagecompartments tohouse thecellar’s5,000-bottle
reserveandfinishedoff thespacewithFrenchbistro
tablesandchairs insideandout (shownabove).
Althoughnot everyonehas the inclination, nor the
HOME
StellarCellars
Want to store your vintages in style? These days
there are options aplenty, from custom-designed
wine rooms to top-of-the-line storage devices.
BYWILLIAM KISSEL
FALL 2010
celebratedliving.com
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