great idea! my closet is super tall and I ALWAYS have to use a stool.

Wouldn't it be cheaper and more practical to simply lower the closet rod and install shelves above it to take advantage of the unused space?

I was thinking more along the lines of secret weapon stash in case of serial killers. But yeah sure this is helpful, too!

I think my closet might be to shallow to use this effectively. As the rod rotates down it would hit the wall and go no further.

hmmm, ive never had a closet where the doors were the entire width of the closet. So you would have to have a useless cap to the side of it so it can clear the door.

neat concept tho!

*gap

It's a great idea, but do you have to be able to reach the closet bar to pull it down (in which case you're probably already tall enough to get by without it), or is there a handle?

I had a wardrobe with this style of hanging bar. I thought it was a great idea at first but it was actually an incredible pain to use - you require a lot of space to pull it out and must be able to open the wardrobe doors fully to both sides in order for it to come out, so it really affects the placement of your wardrobe. The main thing is that mine was really heavy to re-position when it was time to push it back in. I have a lot of clothes, but the wardrobe wasn't overstuffed.

i got excited about this until i read laurlsg's comment which makes a great defeating point. plus, i can also see the mechanism failing, e.g., an entire rack of clothes falling on you as you try to lower the rack, lol. but maybe wouldn't be so bad if you were like martha and only had to hang 6 or 7 shirts per closet ;)

A family member had this installed in a walk-in closet where the ceiling was 9'. Made great use of space, she'd store her out of season clothes on it. The arm is usually hydraulic, like a hatchback car's hatch, and smoothly moves when you use the handle to lower it. In the 10 years she had it, it never failed and was fully loaded down with clothes.

The step stool probably only cost ten dollars, or so, and would work in any closet.

I'm short. I have those closet shelf/rod combinations made from PVC coated wire. I had them hung in my smallish walk-in closet with two tiers on one side for shirts and other shorter clothes, and one on the opposite side for longer things. The trap door to the attic is in the closet, too, so access had to remain, but I have no problems (with 8 foot ceilings) reaching the rods, and the stuff up on the shelves I use a step stool to reach. I don't mind since that stuff isn't commonly needed.

I saw one of those in a home tour once and knew that I would have some some day! We have tall closets with shoes and purses up on the top-most shelf. I'd much rather have the other things lower where I can reach them, and the clothes up high (with this solution).

This would be really nice for out-of-closet storage too - if closet space is too limited, these could just go on a wall behind a curtain and would definitely help maximize.

If Pelicolina 's experience is global, then this would be super for someone in a wheelchair -- access to the space on the bottom AND the space on the top!

I'm with leapkate. I was hoping for a hidden compartment, or even a doorway to a secret room! :)

Maryhs, on an old 'Queer Eye for the Straight Guy', the Fab 5 installed this very system for a war vet in a wheelchair. It does have a handle he could use to pull it down. The kitchen shelves in the cabinets were the same way. Pretty slick.

This was one of many design features in a wheelchair-accessible apartment my sister lived in, we all thought it was great. If anybody is looking for one, then somewhere for accessibility furnishings / accessories may be the place to go.

@Tramesque I've seen these with a pole-and-hook gizmo for lowering and raising them. I'm sure you could attach a pull cord, as well.