On a recent visit to the Michelin-starred Commis Restaurant in Oakland, we admired the wooden ice buckets, which add a rustic note to the strict minimalist decor. Replicate the look with flat wooden-staved buckets lined with a simple metal or plastic bucket to accommodate ice—we found a low and a (very) high option.
Above: A wooden ice bucket at Commis; photograph via the Wall Street Journal online.
Above: The Oak Water Bucket with Wire Bands (shown) and the Large Premium Wooden Bucket are both made in the style of colonial-era water buckets; $79.95 for the large oak and $39.45 for the premium bucket from R & P Trading. N.B.: The design is also available with red oak hoops or copper hoops in place of the wire bands.
Above: Japanese woodworker Shuji Nakagawa hand makes each Champagne Cooler Shizuku from Japanese cypress with copper bands; $1,900 from Atelier Courbet.
For more ideas, see 10 Easy Pieces: Champagne Buckets. And if you love the look of the Japanese cooler, check out our post How to Bath Japanese Style.
N.B.: This post is an update; the original story ran on October 19, 2010 as part of our Oenophile Style issue.