ISS Designs and Rakks

Rakks and ISS Designs have been gaining popularity recently among the Dwell-reading do-it-yourself design crowd due to their no-nonsense modern look and relatively sophisticated options.  There are also some essential differences, though, which I'd like to address here.

Web site:
Both ISS and Rakks have very informative, though a bit idiosyncratic, web sites.  What's up with the self-extracting .exe of a Word file with architectural specifications for Rakks?  No love for designers that use Macs, I guess.  Of course, this being 2007, they could create a Web application that generates a custom spec sheet.  Strange.  In any case, as a do-it-yourselfer you can just browse through the specs sprinkled about six PDF files (or five, if you don't care for slatwall).  Rakks also provides CAD files for most of the components, but even a design-savvy do-it-yourselfer would be hard-pressed to do anything with them.  You'll need either some AutoCAD experience or Google's SketchUp Pro - much more usable than AutoCAD and free during a trial period. 

ISS allows you to order some of the components online, but I haven't figured out how to order cabinets without having to call them.   As for Rakks - you gotta call, though, thankfully, they sell direct and you don't have to deal with that most miserable part of ordering architectural stuff as a home user - talking to a distributor.

The best part of both websites is the fact that the installation instructions are there - free for the viewing.

To compare them side-by-side, check out these pages:

	ISS Designs	Rakks
Specs:	http://issdesigns.com/products.htm	http://rakks.com/literature/specs.html
Installation instructions:	http://rakks.com/literature/install.html	http://issdesigns.com/Installation.htm

Components:

ISS is certainly more friendly for residential purposes: it offers cabinets, not just shelving, which makes it a more appealing option if you are building a system for "storage", not just "display".  Rakks targets more commercial environments - retail stores, libraries, and even laboratories - where you are more concerned with display or workflow.  Of course, if you are trying to give your living or closet the look of a boutique - as I think many these days do strive for - Rakks is a decent option.

ISS also offers an eco-friendly option: 100% post-consumer recycled wood fiber particle-board.

Installation:

If you can find a stud and put in an anchor bolt, it shouldn't be necessary to hire a handyman.  If you haven't done it before, it's not rocket science.  In fact, it's easier than following typical "self-assembly" furniture instructions originally written in Mandarin and then translated to English by someone who learned the language from reading other self-assembly instructions ;)

Conclusion:

Regardless of the sophisticated hardware, these are still systems of metal brackets, pole, and standards - which gives them the cold straightforward commercial look.  ISS is probably a bit further along at trying to sell this idea to the residential environment.  That said, the competition isn't really Rakks - it's the Euro-design closet companies that offer myriads of accessories and professional installation.  So if your goal is to build an extensive at-home library at a reasonable cost, ISS is a good choice.  If you want to give your living room or closet the look of a funky clothing boutique and, again, don't care much for any accessories other than shelves and are willing to do the work, you can opt for Rakks. 

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