We have Elfa systems in our current house and love them. I like the fact that you can rearrange the whole system when you need to. We have them in our pantry, bedroom closets, and laundry room. They are super easy to install. They are not cheap though. It is great when the "Elfa sale" is going on but here that is sometime in February. We are still undecided about our new build. I think Lowe's or HD sells something similiar to Elfa but we haven't checked into it yet.

Love 'em.

We put them in all the closets and laundry room in a complete gut remodel we did in the late '90s and in a remodel we did a couple of years ago.

In our new home we have custom millwork in the master bedroom closet/dressing rooms but are using Elfa in all of the other closets and the laundry room. Our $4000 order (!!) should be delivered in 21 separate boxes (!!!) to the site any day now. A little expensive, but we can put it up ourselves, much better quality and more flexible than standard screw-in wire shelves, and much cheaper than having the contractor build anything.

They do have an annual Elfa sale in January. If you can wait, it will save you money.

Elfa is fantastic! We only have them in one closet (an office) in the current house. But sized a closet in the new house specially to fit our Elfa--it's going with us. Costs an arm and a leg.

If it's a closet for anything other than clothes, or even for clothes if there's more than just a hanging rod, be sure to get the track-installed system. It has rods on the wall so you can rearrange the shelving any time.

Our sale in Atlanta retail store, Container Store, is in the fall each year.

Sadly, elfa is not in the new house budget. I'm still looking for an alternative. Closetmaid has introduced a second system with the track-type hanging like elfa has. Don't know what the comparative costs are, but I'll need to find out shortly.

Here is another place to consider besides elfa closet organizers. You could at least compare prices. You can design your own space or they will design. I haven't used them so I can't vouch for their quality, but I am considering getting a quote from them for our laundry room, closets and maybe even for a garage storage system.

Here is a link that might be useful: Closet sytems

Remain consistant in your choices of finishes for your home. Elfa is a low end entry level system which will fit well in a home that is a starter home using formica and linoleum. If that is not an accurate description of your home you may want to contact a reliable cabinet shop to assist with the design and fabrication of a closet system.
Having said that....the most important part of any closet system is an accurate use of space designed by by and experienced designer. Many of the modular systems rely on the homeowner to try and fit a closet together. It rarely turns out well.

I was in an expensive home this evening and they used a system similar to Elfa. It looked cheap in their home because the rest of the house was tricked out in granite and lots of natural woods.

Good luck!

wow-ok. Well we just put Elfa in our new custom built home and love it. The new styles with the wood trim are actually quite attractive and go very well with our modern design. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality. It was nice that they have people in the store to design the space for you - free of charge. They will also do this through their website, although it ends up they want you to call to finish it up. Also, installing them was a piece of cake. I certainly wouldn't call them cheap. There is a huge difference between Elfa and what is available at Home Depot.

I live in Northern Virginia and checked with the Clarendon store on when the Elfa products will be on sale. The sale starts August 24th! The second floor renovation is almost complete and I had planned on using someone other than the GC to install closet systems.

to echo bellamay, friends of ours just moved into their $2.8 million dollar home. i went to the coat closet in the hall to leave my bag and i was a little surprised at the interior: elpha. she said the GC wanted too much $ to do the closets so her dh "just did them himself ...don't they look great?" um, no. they could look great but they've got to be in keeping with the rest of the home. GL... i have this "thing" about organizing. i consider it fun. must be the virgo in me.

I disagree whole heartedly with "modular systems rely on the homeowner to try and fit a closet together. It rarely turns out well." This is obviously stated by someone who does not have the Elfa system in their own closet. I have the Elfa system in two closets in my home, with the dark wood trim. I also purchased nice storage boxes for my shoes and sweaters, and I also purchased matching hangers. I changed my closet door so that you can actually see inside my closet all the time. When friends and family come over, they always are in awe. Even friends who have "custom built" closets. The result just isn't the same. Plus, with the Elfa system you can change the layout of your closet as your wardrobe changes.