Can I have a chandelier in my bathroom???

[kitsmummy]

We're just about to re-do our bathroom (loooong overdue!) and we're having a freestanding bath, frameless shower, probably white brick tiles (white grout) and I'm picturing v dark grey, nearly black, walls. I'm aiming for an elegant and dramatic look (rather than dungeon, fingers crossed).

I'd love to put a chandelier in there, perhaps something like this.

I know you're not generally supposed to have non-bathroom lights in a bathroom but is there anyway around this? It wouldn't actually be directly over the bath or shower, but obviously wouldn't be too far away from them.

thanks

How lovely. I think there are ways round this but the chandelier has to be a certain distance from water. So if it;s a big bathroom it should be OK.

Here you go

(Don't use a non-bathroom light in a bathroom unless it's huge - there are zones around the wet areas which indicate which sorts of lights you can use. Given how badly electricity and water mix, I wouldn't take any chances, plus a reputable electrician wouldn't fit it anyway)

Bathroom lighting regulations and zones

When I was a teenager I would help my long hair to dry by flicking it around. One day some water from my hair splashed onto the light bulb and it exploded, leaving me in a pitch dark room with glass on the floor.

Just saying...

I love the idea of a chandelier in the bathroom! Really like the one in the first link.

Our electrician insisted on bathroom specific lighting, but our spaces are small so water/ moisture probably does matter.

It is to do with building regs and steam etc. It isn't safe although I think in the US the electrical regs are different and you can! You can buy a special one though gustavian do one that is suitable for a bathroom but you can't just choose any old one. Lights in bathrooms are supposed to be enclosed iirc.The gustavian ones are quite expensive

I think You could have a chandelier in the bathroom, you need an electrician who would install a protective 6amp MCBO to protect your lighting circuit, that should comply with regulations.

Yes verity you can isolate the bathroom supply I think but my electrician still doesn't like them! I tried once . I think if its a certain height eg v high ceiling 8ft plus you may get round it but condensation settling would fuse some lights

an 8ft ceiling is 2400mm, but remember that a chandelier hangs some way below the ceiling, so in most houses might be in a zone and could be touched without a ladder.

All electrical work in a bathroom must now be protected by an RCD. this can include an RCBO if the lighting circuits are not already protected, depending on age and brand of your consumer unit.

Thanks for the advice everyone. The ceiling is at least 8ft so it sounds like a conversation with our electrician is in order

How about these

thank you Karbea, I've seen those but unfortunately any I like are way out of budget!

What about recessed lighting and a dramatic candelabra? For that Candle lit long soak with a glass of wine.

I was coming here to ask just that very question!
MrsDimitri I love it. It's over my budget... but I love it.

there is an error in the zones diagram from that lighting company, it shows zone 2 around a washbasin.

bathroom zones are determined by their distance from a fixed bath or shower, not from other objects in the room. A better diagram can be found here