5. Fancily Lit Baths

A chandelier twinkling above a soaking tub might seem the height of sybaritic splendor, but water and electricity clearly don’t mix. “Clients ask for statement chandeliers, but unless it’s the correct height—8 feet from the rim of the tub—I cringe,” said Nikki Pulver, principal of Shaker Interiors in Cleveland. “What if you’re about to fall and pull it down with you into the water?” And fixtures rated for dry locations can fail over time and cause an electrical fire. “A standard chandelier is not rated for a damp location,” said Kyle Krueger, director of codes and standards with the National Electrical Contractors Association, in Washington, D.C.