Elfa vs. Custom Closets

Sherri

Wed, Oct 21 2015, 8:11 pm

Hey everyone, long time no see.

Has anyone installed both the Elfa system from the Container Store and custom closets in their home, and has an opinion for me? How do they compare: price, quality, function...?

Thanks!

Sherri

Thu, Oct 22 2015, 8:57 am

Bump

seeker

Thu, Oct 22 2015, 10:00 am

Can you describe a little more what type of closet system/arrangement you're aiming for?
I used IKEA's PAX and have been perfectly satisfied. Options are not unlimited but met my needs well. That was for a bedroom wardrobe.

musicmom

Thu, Oct 22 2015, 10:15 am

I installed my own and they were so nice and so much cheaper. I just measured the closet rod lengths that I needed and cut the wood at those lengths. I researched typical closet rod placement measurements and put them on those heights on the wall. I have one long closet rod with a shelf above it and below half of that rod I have another at the right height for skirts, with a shelf above that. The custom cut wood for shelves is much cheaper than these systems. So I have half the rod for long dresses, the right upper half for shirts and the bottom lower half for skirts, although it is arranged differently now that the kids are young. There are shelves above each rod for storage.

amother

Linen

Thu, Oct 22 2015, 1:49 pm

In my previous home, we installed ELFA systems in every closet. They are great. We got exactly what we wanted and they really helped with storage. We haven't done it since we moved but we will do it again eventually.

rd5081

Fri, Nov 20 2015, 7:56 am

Hi! I was just gonna post the same exact question... Im also moving and thinking if to do elfa or custom closets, actually elfa is custom too, just youre basically costumizing it on your own. My question is price wise and quality wise which are rather?

nyer1

Fri, Nov 20 2015, 8:14 am

I have elfa and I LOVE it. I love that I can move things around if I want to, and I can always add to it at any time. there is a sale once a year, I forget when. maybe february. we did 4 walk in closets and it was surprisingly very very reasonable

rd5081

Fri, Nov 20 2015, 9:01 am

nyer1..
How old are your elfa closets? How would you say the quality of it? Is it long-lasting?

rd5081

Fri, Nov 20 2015, 9:30 am

Anyone knows how elfa compares to ikea custom closets in quality and price?

seeker

Fri, Nov 20 2015, 1:01 pm

I think the main difference between Ikea and Elfa is that Elfa can be installed right on the walls of a built-in or walk-in closet, while Ikea (pax at least, I don't know if they have a wall system as well) you need to buy the closet itself that goes with it. Though I have seen around the web that people buy the closet shell to put inside their walk-in closets to use the system. Ikea has the potential to be cheaper if you use the cheap options, but any extra frills jack up the cost pretty fast. Not sure about Elfa extras but the basics seem to be more expensive.

I bought my Ikea unit at 20% off and they run that sale with some regularity. I also got lucky and found doors I liked on clearance - they would have been significantly more otherwise, though there was always the option of going with the plain white cheaper. I splurged on a bunch of drawers, other than that I have all plain shelves and rods. The entire thing - one wide closet and one narrow closet, total of 3 doors wide, with doors on all and all the inner fittings, cost somewhere around $700 if I recall correctly. It's hard to remember exactly how much the closet stuff was because I bought other things to go with it at the same time (bins/boxes and other stuff.)

So far the quality is holding up just fine. But I never really needed it to last 20 years. I have no idea whether it would. We don't exactly abuse our closets anyway. I do have one door-slammer but that hasn't seemed to affect it yet.

rachel6543

Sat, Nov 21 2015, 5:47 pm

I can't reply about other systems, but I really like ELFA from the container store. Easy to install, and good quality. Also, I think around January they have their annual ELFA sale, which is the best sale for the whole year on this product.