ISS there another choice? Yes there is. We have used Elfa Shelving (inexpensive and beautiful) from the Container Store time and time again, and once installed Vitsoe Shelving (expensive and beautiful), but we have yet to find a great shelving solution that fills a mid range price point. Luckily we recieved this tip from Adam yesterday, who wrote in recommending ISS Designs, saying he had bought it and set it up himself, and that you could buy it online. All of this is true.

ISS Designs, or Infinite Storage Solutions, is located in Richard Nixon's old hometown of San Clemente, California, and they offer very stylish, minimal and modern system shelving that can be configured in any number of ways, from housing a large library of books to a small shelving and desk work area. Like Elfa, Vitsoe and Rakks, there system is based on standards and brackets that easily lock into place and can be mounted at any height. Shelving can either be mounted behind compression pole standards or in front of wall mounted standards.

We have contacted them to see where their dealers are in NYC, but we would trust ordering online. This is pretty straightforward stuff. Prices look good, and right now they are having a sale on some of their predesigned solutions. For example the arrangement at right is $621 instead of $828. (Thanks, Adam!) MGR

From ISS:

We do work directly with consumers to help design their shelving. We also can provide a total solution including the shelves and cabinets shipped directly to your readers’ doorstop via FEDEX!

We also do have a local dealer in NYC that has a display of both our pole mounted and wall mounted designs. They are call Astech Closet Systems, Inc. located at 270 West 36th Street (between 7th and 8th). Bill Skinner, the owner of Astech has many years of experience in construction and his firm is able to provide design and installation along with shelves and cabinets. Visit their web site at www.astechclosets.com for more details.

ISS Designs

www.issdesigns.com

1235 Puerta Del Sol, San Clemente, CA 92673, USA

949.366.0780

Visit the store page

Comments (3)

This is great!!! I've been looking for a way to circumvent rakks, iss, etc. because of the expense. I have 13 foot ceilings So here's my plan: I am going to use 2 X 4's (with the 2 in surface facing out toward the room). I am going to use the shelf brackets on the inside, the 4 in surface facing in so the shelf floats in the middle, like pessoa suggested. Thank you John for coming up with this idea. Ps. I think I am going to stain the 2 x 4 with a dark black color and the shelves a walnuty color for a two tone mid century look.

Any suggestions/ comments. I am a total novice and concerned about a unit this high bowing out.

Sounds like something must have changed at ISS Designs since 2004. We were very careful to design our wall system based on items ISS Designs already had in their online gallery. We submitted a detailed drawing with colors, sizes, and quantities of items clearly defined. The first parts that arrived were the poles that hold up the system. They sent silver poles instead of the black poles we had specified. We picked the black poles based on their online gallery. They said a customer had customized those poles and that for "additional money" they could have the poles powder coated for us. We decided to work with the silver poles to avoid delays. Also some screws were missing. After some phone calls customer service said they would send the missing parts before the cabinets and shelves arrived (they sent us the wrong screws but we couldn't tell until we tried to build the system). When the cabinets and shelves did arrive nearly everything was damaged from poor packaging and we rejected the shipment. When a new system arrived a few weeks later it was packed very well, but I noticed that the orange door faces were darker than we had specified and they had a different orange (the approved color) on the sides. Also, the shipment was missing some critical hardware that delayed assembly of the system for 2 weeks. ISS Designs made new doors with the approved colors, and sent us the missing hardware so we could finish the assembly. This is when we found that the drawer face for the center of the floating desk didn't fit. I called 3 times and sent customer service 7 emails and was finally able to get this resolved. I was a bit frustrated with all the issues we encountered throughout the process that I asked for a price discount to compensate for the 3 months of hassles. They offered me some bookends. I emailed and asked to speak with customer service again. They have never returned my calls. I asked to have a talk with the CEO of ISS Designs about my issues. They refused to give me the CEO's name and said â€œhe was out of town.â€ My only options are to report them to the better business bureau and post so others won't have to endure the same outcome. Weâ€™re still waiting for a call back.
Photos can be found on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/21678692@N00/2753734555/in/set-72157606676720619/

I would suggest that if you ever have a custom shelving project to do, to buy the hinges online. It is a lot easier and cheaper to do! I just found a Marlboro Hinge - their customer service department helped me which hinges would work best for my project. A little time and research will go a long way sometimes!

http://www.marlborohinge.com