This viral DIY book sconce is so much easier than it looks – here's how to recreate the hack and up your bookshelf wealth

Drew Michael Scott (A.K.A Lone Fox as Instagram knows him) is a master of creating luxury spaces at an affordable price point. From plastering his bathroom to making a handy DIY shelving unit, Drew loves inventing new ways to decorate. His ingenuity is best displayed within the interiors of his Spanish-revival-style home, where each room has a lovingly thought-out scheme.

Drew is undoubtedly best known for his amazing, elevated DIYs, so we were pleased to see that in a recent Instagram video, he shared his favorite hacks of 2024 to get us all inspired for the new year.

Among them, he named the DIY book sconce as the most popular video he posted that year. This viral hack looks very impressive, but as Drew breaks down the steps to create it, any DIYer with some time and patience could recreate this DIY project. So let's take a look at the lighting hack and see how Lone Fox makes a stylish sconce using an old book.

1. Select your book and sconce

The most important part of this DIY is choosing the right sconce light and book to suit your bookshelf style. Acknowledging the style of your bookcase decor is crucial but also remember to measure your shelves to ensure that the lamp is the right size for the area.

In the video, Drew chooses a classic brass sconce with a cream shade and pairs this with a vintage-looking encyclopedia. He considers the style of his bookshelf and goes down the classic, antique-style route with his choices so that they will integrate seamlessly.

2. Remove the cord from your sconce

Drew purchased a light with cording as the wiring can be removed and then replaced later in the making process. This idea will only work with a plug-in sconce as you'll need to take out the cording and rewire it.

He explains the first step by saying, 'So what I had to do was remove the cord to make it a hardwired sconce and then we’re going to add the cord back again later.'

Remember to use pliers when removing the wiring as this step can get fiddly. It's important to ensure precision and not cut the critical electrical component of the lamp. For this step, do your homework and swat up on rewiring, you might want do some extra research alongside Drew's video.

3. Get your book prepped

The bookshelf wealth trend was big in 2024 and will continue to be a popular style choice this year, and although you could make this hack work with any book, going with something vintage will work with that trendy, characterful look.

Drew chose an antique-style encyclopedia. It's hefty in size and has a thick spine, which works for the dowelling he later uses. We recommend visiting a thrift store when purchasing your book as it's cost-effective and repurposes a once-neglected object. Better yet, you can often find older books that are vintage in style, just like Drew's.

He says, 'I took the pages out, so it’s still readable but we just want the spine and cover for the sconce.' It's best to remove the pages all in one if possible to keep the book intact, ensuring it can still be read. You should be left with an entirely empty book with just the exterior remaining.

4. Cut and stick your dowelling

The dowelling will be the main foundation of the sconce and will allow the lamp to stand up and shine. The required width of your doweling will depend on the size of the book, so make sure to measure the width of the spine before purchasing your material.

Drew says 'I got some wooden doweling from the hardware store that was the same exact width of the book. I bought a 2-inch wide wooden dowel and the spine of my book was 2 inches.'

He then, 'Laid the book on the actual dowel and cut it down to the size of the book so we ended up with one piece that actually fit perfectly inside. I’m using some wood glue to adhere this in. You can also do hot glue or whatever you have.'

Once your dowelling is securely glued into the spine, cut two additional pieces of wood. 'These are two inches shorter than the first one so that there’s a gap at the bottom for the wiring to go through.' Drew says. 'Once it’s all glued down you’ll see that there's an open channel at the bottom.'

5. Rewire

Get ready for the technical part – the rewiring. This fiddly step is the most tricky element of this DIY so be patient and ensure accuracy, you don't want a lamp that doesn't light up!

Firstly drill through the first layer of wood so your wiring can thread right through. Drew explains this by saying, 'I found a drill bit that was the same width as the threading on the sconce and I just drilled through only that first piece of wood because our wiring will go through there.' Note that you should drill from the exterior spine into the interior piece of wood.

Once you have pulled the wiring through it should be easy to secure the lamp. He moves on to say, 'I threaded through the wiring, pressed firmly, and was able to easily twist the lamp in, it had a nice snug fit.'

The last step requires you to reattach the wire to the cord so that you can plug it back into the wall. Using pliers, weave the wire together with the main outer cord and then use the cap to hold and crimp them into place. Again, this is the bit to look into more if you are unsure how to attach the wires back together. It's a simple job but one not to rush.

6. Add the finishing touches and style

Now comes the satisfying part – the styling! Simply slot your sconce into your area of choice, switch it on, and admire your niftiness from afar.

To ensure that the sconce blends into the shelves, surround it with other books and trinkets. You want to create a cozy, homely-feeling reading nook so don't be afraid to add lots of decor and books to your shelving unit.

Now you know how to create one, why not go ahead and make several to scatter amongst your shelves? This will turn your bookcase into a real feature piece and bring some all-important warmth to your snug area.

A one-of-a-kind, creative, and stylish piece, Drew's book sconce is the ultimate shelf accessory that will brighten any room. With his handy steps and our top tips, you'll be more than prepared to give your bookshelf a thoughtful redesign.