Thank you all for your input which has helped to clarify my thoughts on this. I checked the code book, and the clearance between the fixture and the nearest point of a storage space needs to be 6" for fluorescent and 12" for incandescent, so we're ok. lorraineal, I remember seeing your picture earlier and thinking what a great idea it was. It really makes that area look special, as well as being very functional. We had some issues with our framer, so I was hesitant to come up with anymore changes, so we didn't do this. I think what I'll do is put a rod at 64" and shelves at 66" and 78", or double rods at about 45" and 85" with one shelf above. Then put a shelf on each side above the top full shelf. I'll have to do some measuring over there to check this out. Thanks, Anne

I don't have access points like that in this house, but in a rental we lived in many moons ago we had the ugly cord, but since it was in the kitchen it drove me nuts. Since the access was near a corner I changed the cord out for a piece of thin tapestry (maybe 9 inches wide) which I bought in a scrap bin. I but a thin binding on it and hung a pretty tassel on the pointed end with the goal of making it look like an old servants bell pull I'd seen in a Victorian house. My sil liked it so much she did one as well but she embroidered service on hers :). No servants ever came when you pulled either but at least they were pretty lol. Now a quick note from the safety commission......if your drop down ladder is an older Werner ladder you should check it's serial numbers with recall sites. They have literally killed or caused significant brain damage due to a part that fails and causes the thing to slam down on your head when you pull them down. I learned this after another Werner ladder that had been recalled failed when I used it, causing me to lose our second baby and breaking my wrist very badly. The recall notices were posted in ladder areas of home improvement stores but who goes there if they already have a ladder? Werner went banko over the attic ladder so if you have one you end up assuming the cost if a new one, but it's cheap in comparison to permanent brain damage or death of you or a family member so pretty please.....check if your ladder is over five years old? Off my ladder soap box and sorry ab

I think the answer on the Remodeling Forum explained it well. The cleat is just distributing the weight so that the bracket doesn't sink into the drywall. The horizontal piece of wood prevents the shelf from sagging and also provides the main attachment for the bracket. Since the horizontal piece of wood is attached to studs as it goes across the wall, that makes it well secured. The bracket creates a small amount of downward 'pull' on the shelf but the horizontal wood and the cleat are carrying the majority of the weight.......especially the screw in the keyhole slot. If your hanging rod is going to be holding a lot of weight then attaching to a stud would be ideal. DS had a storage closet that had a huge amount of stuff on the shelf and the rod was packed with clothes. The whole thing came crashing down one night..............

I just replaced the top screws in all the flanges with round head screws (some needed a washer to extend further out like another commenter suggested) and now the closet rods work perfectly! I didn’t need to spend any more money since I already had the screws left over from another project, and the rods still look great. Thanks for the help! Have a wonderful weekend, all.