How deep is the closet? It's hard to tell from the pics. Your ideas sound great. All of our linen closets are 26.5 inches deep with stationary shelves. The extra depth is worthless because you can't find anything "way back there". I would love to install pull out drawers or shelves.

I won't show you a pic of my linen closet cuz it looks like someone gave the Tasmanian Devil a Starbucks and turned him loose in there. (I'm reorganizing it as we speak. ;)

Mine is 4 shelves and a big space at bottom, no drawers. I generally don't care for big cavernous spaces in bottom of closets like that, but do find it handy in linen closet. I can fit an extra large TP pack + 12 pack of Paper Towel packages in there and still have room for bigger 'stuff'. The bottom of my lowest shelf sits 24" above the floor. Shelves are about 2' deep. Lowest shelf holds light bulbs, night lights, extensions cords, etc. Next shelf up holds towels and washcloths, plenty of space for lots of them. Next shelf up holds first-aid, OTC meds, lotions, extra soap, stuff like that. Very top shelf holds odds 'n ends. Stuff I don't use a lot but need now and then. (I'd normally put bed linens in that closet, but we lucked out, builder back in the day put 2 closets in each bedroom, so linens go there.)

On the flip side, I'm prepping a rental right now, older house. It has an old (but very large) built-in linen closet in the bath. Shelves upper half, 3 drawers lower half to floor. The drawers seem like clutter collectors for odds and ends, they're not deep enough to store linens in any amount. Bottles of a toiletry nature fall over when drawers are pulled out, etc.

Guess I'm wondering if you might find a bigger space at the bottom more useful than drawers? That all depends on how you'll be using it and how much storage you have elsewhere, tho. But that would throw off the exterior latch and cup pulls (which sounds very pretty). Unless they made a false front that looks like drawers but is actually a door that swings open.

OK, I'm stopping. Thinking aloud is beginning to sound like incoherent rambling. ;o

Hey, did you ever get your exterior painted?

I would skip the drawers at the bottom for the reasons moonshadow mentioned. Pullouts are great, but then watch the framing and try to minimize the loss of space at the sides.

We retro-fitted an old linen closet, putting an Elfa brand series of drawers at the bottom, and I love them. Our closet is fairly deep/wide, and the drawers are so convenient, even with the slight loss of space on either side. Pulling out those drawers is so much better than crouching down to rummage around in the dark recesses. A drawer lets me examine all the contents.

I do have an enormous walk-in closet in which I store all our pillows and off-season blankets, so I don't need the old closet for those. The old linen closet is used for towels, toilet paper, light bulbs, heating pads, and linens.

Mine is built in from when the PO's remodeled in the 60's. It has four drawers at the bottom, which I actually like. I can store out of season stuff, and rarely used items, keeping the shelves for the actual linens we use.

I'm going to change out the fixed shelves for wire adjustable just because it would suit my needs better. I have also installed an LED pop light so I can see in there easily.

kiko, the depth is about two feet deep, too. Very top and bottom shelves were a pain because of the access issue. I was amazed at all the stuff I found when I cleaned it out.

Oh moonshadow, I won't show you a pic of my linen closet cuz it looks like someone gave the Tasmanian Devil a Starbucks and turned him loose in there. (I'm reorganizing it as we speak.) You crack me up. Come on, post a pic. Photoshop a tasmanian devil for effect. I don't mind your rambling but you had me at storing the TP in the drawers! That would be the perfect spot. Right now I store TP in the bathroom vanity waaaay in the back. I do agree that I would rather have two deep drawers versus three smaller ones. Thanks for the rambling. It helped alot. I am going to have TP in my drawers!

graywings, thanks for reminding me about the loss space on some pull-outs. I know what you mean and I do not want to lose any space.

Thanks for the info, kkay md. I will definitely checkout Elfa.

pesky, I am definitely leaning towards drawers and pull-out shelves now. I do like the idea of adjustable shelves. I have never heard of a LED pop light. I assume it does not need electrical wiring? That would be great for a few of my small closets, too.

Thanks again, everyone!

Yes, the LED lights are battery operated. You tap them on & off. A great feature for closets. I think I found them at Home Depot.

Home Depot here I come!

We have a 1920s house with a cabinet somewhat similar to the one posted above (but where the bottom two drawers are in the pic, we have a door that leads to the laundry chute). And I have to say I hate our drawer. It sat there and collected junk for four years, even though it was supposed to be a toiletry drawer. Last month I made it into a towel drawer, and I still hate it, but less. So, unless you are going the elfa route, consider skipping the drawer(s)!

But I would consider doing dividers. If I was handy at woodworking, I would totally make the ones in the link.

Here is a link that might be useful: