Heavy objects over beds (window, painting, ceiling, furniture)

[nightbird47]

I love the design shows on HGTV, and get inspiration from them, but sometimes they make me cringe. Every time I see a bedroom with a heavy, large light is hung directly over a bed, especially a chandelier, I wonder if they have considered the safety of the sleeper.

When my son was little we looked over what is reccomended in earthquake country. True, if you don't expect the ground to shake its not as big a concern, but the biggest no no is putting something where it can fall on a bed. This means things hung over the bed, or tall furnature which unless ancored to the wall would land on a bed if it fell. Or if the contents would land on a sleeper.

Shouldn't designers take some consideration in safety, especially in areas where particular things are important? Would you really like a big window right at your head in an area with extreme wind? Would you like things ready to land on you if there is a quake? How well secured do you want the heavy painting above your head to be before you go to sleep?

Style is wonderful, but practicality still matters.

[Charles]

Even if you don't live in earthquake country, big heavy things that can fall on kids should be secured to walls: dressers, TVs, other furniture, grandfather clocks, etc.

[harry chickpea]

Code requires substantial anchoring of ceiling fans and objects like this. With a properly hung ceiling fan you can literally grab the main casing and hang from it without it coming loose from the ceiling. Here in tornado country, most houses have an interior bathroom that has no windows. High winds rarely "sneak up on you."

[kodaka]

Not all HGTV shows are filmed in earthquake-prone areas. In most places, hanging a pendant fixture over a bed isn't an issue.

And, not everything they do is shown during the broadcast. They may only show the bits where the old light is removed and the new one is wired, but that doesn't mean they don't have extensive off-camera work prepping the ceiling for secure and safe installation. These shows are for entertainment value not instructional value.