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In my final put up, I shared that earlier than my pc crashed final week, I had discovered a fantastic chandelier that I needed to make use of for our grasp rest room, and I needed to place it above the tub. It seemed virtually an identical to this chandelier, however the value was about half of this one.
So yesterday, I went on the hunt for the cheaper model of that chandelier that I had beforehand discovered, and within the course of, I discovered this one I like so a lot better.
I really like that mild a lot!! I’d have already snatched it up apart from one factor.
Throughout my complete seek for the illusive cheaper model of that first chandelier, I began pondering whether or not or not I ought to even be placing a chandelier above the tub. In any case, most chandeliers above bathtubs are a violation of nationwide constructing code in america.
Are you conscious of this? I used to be. I’ve been conscious of it for years, and but, I’ve put chandeliers above bathtubs a minimum of 3 times previously. And clearly, it’s not simply me. If you happen to go to Pinterest or Houzz or Instagram, you’ll discover actually a whole bunch and a whole bunch of examples of chandeliers being put in above bathtubs.
It took me about 5 minutes this morning to gather 74 pictures of chandeliers above bathtubs on Pinterest. Right here’s a pattern of them…
Go to Pinterest and put “chandelier over bathtub” within the search and test it out your self. And these photos are coming from builders, designers, decorators, bloggers. I noticed photos from very well-known magazines, and even a pair that had been from a Parade of Properties, which signifies that the builders signed off on this and knew that a whole bunch of holiday makers to the Parade of Properties would see it and a few can be impressed by the thought.
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You possibly can go to Houzz and search the identical factor with the identical outcomes. It took me about three minutes to search out over 30 examples of chandeliers over bathtubs on Houzz.
I do know a few of you could be pondering that a few of these chandeliers are hung excessive sufficient that an individual standing within the tub can’t attain them. And that’s true. I’m solely 5 ft tall, and with out sneakers and standing flat on my ft, my attain is 76 inches. I’d most likely be capable of contact only a few of these chandeliers when standing in these tubs (though there are just a few which are ridiculously low, and I might undoubtedly contact them).
However the constructing code would possibly shock you. It says that the bottom level of the chandelier (together with any non-electrical components like crystals or baubles of any form which are hooked up to the sunshine fixture) have to be eight ft above the very best level on the partitions of the tub.
In order that signifies that with the tub I’m utilizing, which stands at slightly below 24 inches excessive, the bottom a part of a chandelier above the bathtub must be 10 ft from the ground. Effectively, that’s somewhat exhausting to do when my ceiling is eight ft excessive. The truth is, that may be just about unimaginable to do in any rest room with a ceiling lower than 12 ft excessive. I imply, with 11-foot ceilings, you could possibly get away with some form of massive flush-mount or possibly even a semi-flush mount. However discovering assertion lighting fixtures that don’t hold any decrease than 12 inches from the ceiling is just about unimaginable.
In order that signifies that near 100% of the chandeliers you see put in above bathtubs in America are a violation of nationwide constructing code. And but, we see them far and wide, together with very good shelter magazines, Parade of Properties, HGTV, builders’ web sites, and throughout Pinterest, Houzz, and Instagram.
Why do you suppose that is? Seeing that that is being completed simply as a lot by builders and designers as it’s by common owners and bloggers, ignorance is actually not an excuse. Builders and designers know (or ought to know) the constructing code, and but so lots of them select to disregard this specific one.
Which brings me again to my rest room. I desperately need to be part of these hundreds of individuals, together with builders and designers, who ignore that constructing code. I would like that bubble chandelier above my bathtub, hanging from my 8-foot ceiling. I can see it in my thoughts, and I believe it will be gorgeous. And since I don’t climb on the edges of a bath, and my attain is just 76 inches, I can’t see how that chandelier might ever be a hazard to me hanging above the tub — a bath that can by no means be utilized by anybody however me.
As a result of if I am going the accountable approach, and get a press release mild to be hung within the middle of the room the place folks shall be strolling by the room, that severely limits my choices. Like I stated above, discovering a press release ceiling fixture that can be utilized on an 8-foot ceiling and go away sufficient clearance under for strolling is extremely difficult. However I did discover a couple that I like.
This primary one is a lightweight that I’ve liked for years. And if I’m ever going to make use of this mild anyplace, this rest room can be my final likelihood to make use of it as a result of our future main bedroom and household room will each have ceiling followers (a necessity in Texas), and I have already got lighting I really like in all the opposite rooms.
And the second is kinda sorta just like the bubble chandelier in that it provides that very same bubble/cloud look.
So right here I stand at these crossroads. Do I comply with the trail of the opposite designers, builders, bloggers, owners, journal publishers, and many others., who ignore this constructing code, and in doing so, get precisely what I would like in a room we’ve been ready years for and that we’re paying tens of hundreds of {dollars} for? Or do I’ve to be the grownup within the room who says, “That’s towards constructing code. I’m going to search out different choices that meet the constructing code.”
What would you do? If you happen to had been paying about $30,000 for a top-to-bottom customized rest room, and your imaginative and prescient included a chandelier above the bathtub, what would you do?
And if you happen to had been a blogger who shares photos of her house on-line, probably seen by a whole bunch of hundreds of individuals, would your determination be completely different?
Addicted 2 Adorning is the place I share my DIY and adorning journey as I rework and enhance the 1948 fixer higher that my husband, Matt, and I purchased in 2013. Matt has M.S. and is unable to do bodily work, so I do nearly all of the work on the home on my own. You possibly can study extra about me right here.
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