This is from the national electric code:

"Lighting fixtures in closets must comply with 2002 NEC 410.8. Incandescent fixtures must be completely enclosed or recessed. Permitted incandescent fixtures must have 12" of clearance from the fixture to the lip of the shelf. Fluorescent fixtures must have 6" of clearance. 2002 NEC 410.8"

so it looks to me as long as the bulb is not bare, you are permitted to use incandescent fixtures in a closet. Although a pantry is probably not even considered a closet for the purposes of the code, meaning you could probably do whatver you want. I am not sure about that though.

My contractor is coming on Tues to finalize the plans and pull the permits, so I will ask him then. There certainly won't be any coats hanging in there, so maybe it isn't considered a closet for the opurposes of the code.

These are what I would like to put in there:
(I have loved them for awhile, and now they are on sale)

I wanted to do 2 in each, hung just low enough that they can be seen centered from each french door. They are low wattage too, only 40 each. But they are bare bulbs! :(

It sounds like that would not be considered a closet.

The problem with exposed fixtures in closets is that you could start a fire by putting something against it. I know someone who did this with a quilt on the top shelf of an enclosed closet.

You could always put a code conforming fixture in there for the inspection and ...

...change it afterwards. :)

I don't think they're bare bulbs. Bare bulbs would be something like this:

Here is a link that might be useful:

So I took a chance before talking to my contractor, and ordered 4 of these pendants for my glass door pantries. I have loved these for years, and since they are on sale, and discontinued, I figured I better go ahead and order them.

I would have taken the same chance....I think it is a nice concept.

Technically, they are covered fixtures, IMO, the bulb is really far inside the bell.

I agree, those are not bare bulbs. You will/should be able to use the pendants. If anything, change to something cheap/required for the final inspection then change to what you want.

I brought the foyer fixture from our last home, an old piece, for our pantry. Love it.

I have two small 3 light chandeliers in the MBR closet - put up after final inspection. In the other walk-in's a bought inexpensive light bases and used vintage glass globes to cover.

It really can depend on the inspector too - in the powder room, for example, I brought antique sconces from our last home. Put 2 in the foyer and 2 in the powder room. Even had those rewired locally and put on a ground wire. Inspector said they were not okay for a wet location. (WTH is going to splash water 5ft up and 2ft over? ??? So I had to change them out to the fugliest cheapest outdoor UL approved for wet space fixtures you've ever seen. ;D Then took them down and returned after final. DH replaced with sconces.

Can't wait to see everything pulled together.

I am glad I went ahead and bought the pendants. I had originally wanted to use them for the peninsula, but the wattage was just to low, and I love these fixtures! I will have to have them rewired to have a shorter cord however, since they will nick my husband in the head when he steps into the pantry (fabric cord, not adjustable stem). I am hoping actually that I can get a stem put on, so that if they do get bumped, they won't go swinging and break!

I just bought more lighting late last night on Ebay. I got 2 Pottery Barn Julian sconces that will go on the outside walls of the 2 pantry closets, which are centered on a window. So the sconces will frame the window, creating a nice sight line from the dining room.

Now I am trying to find a tole striped metal shade for them...this is proving to be difficult.

new sconces for outside of closet: