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WINE PORTAL TRANSITION 
Professional Athlete’s Penthouse


NEWTON, MA
SCOPE: Custom wine portal and display casework serving as an architectural transition between the entry corridor and main living area, including finish selection and millwork coordination.
ROLE:  Interior Designer  
  • Casework Detailing
  • Finish Selection
  • 3D Modeling
  • Technical Drawings
  • Project Management (including order tracking and delivery and installation coordination)


This project originated as a consultant engagement — the design team working with the client had already allocated space in the architectural drawings for a wine wall, and we were brought in to specify and execute it. The opportunity emerged to do more than fill the footprint: by configuring the casework as a passthrough portal, the wine wall became the primary transition between the entry corridor and the main living area.

The central technical challenge was clearance. The passage needed to maintain a minimum 30" clear width for circulation, but the standard Rimadesio module dimensions — when configured to span the full opening — left the walkthrough undersized. We worked directly with Rimadesio to develop a custom-width module that preserved the full wine storage program on both sides of the passage while achieving the required clearance. This required close coordination with the manufacturer on module width and wine bottle clearance dimensions before the unit could be finalized for fabrication. The portal was specified in a Palladio frame finish with Bronzo Riflettente glass doors and side panels, Olmo wood shelving, and integrated LED illumination — a material palette that reads as both functional storage and sculptural threshold. The mirrored glass and full-height bifold doors allow the piece to dissolve visually when open, maintaining the open quality of the penthouse while defining the moment of transition.


ARCHITECTURAL PLAN

COMPLETED INSTALLATION
Front View from Entry Corridor 
DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

MATERIALS AND FINISHES

Updated 13.04.28