How to Add Lighting to the Bookcase in a Dark Room

If you love plants but just don't have the light you need for them, you will love this DIY project. It was quick and easy to set up and enjoy. And, boy, your plants will love it! Giving your plants the light they need is so important. In our home, they need a full spectrum light on the bookcase (Affiliate Link) in the darkest corner of the bedroom. Here's how we did it.

Jump to:

• What inspired me to do this DIY Add Lighting to the Bookcase Project?
• What supplies did I use to make this DIY Project?
• How much did making this DIY Add Lighting to the Bookcase Project cost?
• How long did it take to make DIY Add Lighting to the Bookcase Project?
• How did I make this DIY Lighting to the Bookcase Project?
• The Big Reveal
• Tips on Making this DIY Add Lighting to the Bookcase Project
• Before and After the Lighting on the Bookcase

What inspired me to do this DIY Add Lighting to the Bookcase Project?

My daughter's room is north-facing, so it gets very little light during the day. While it is an excellent room for sleeping, her plants do not love it. We had an extra light from my other shelving (Affiliate Link) bookshelf lighting DIY project, so I thought we could design something to help her get more light for her plants.

What supplies did I use to make this DIY Project?

The number of supplies was very few and can easily be found on Amazon (affiliate link).

Supplies and tools (Affiliate Link) used:

• Plant LED Grow Light (affiliate link) - lightweight 16 oz.
• thin craft or floral wire (affiliate link)
• wire cutters (affiliate link)
• 3M Command Strip Velcro (affiliate link)
• Command Round Cord Clips (affiliate link)

Please note that these are affiliate links through Amazon,. At no additional cost, I will earn an affiliate commission if you decide to make a purchase.

How much did making this DIY Add Lighting to the Bookcase Project cost?

The cost of this project was nothing since we had all the supplies and light. But if you needed to buy ALL the supplies and tools (Affiliate Link) above, it would have been about $55.00.

How long did it take to make DIY Add Lighting to the Bookcase Project?

It took us about ½ hour to set up this new lighting bookcase (Affiliate Link) project.

How did I make this DIY Lighting to the Bookcase Project?

First, we gathered all the supplies together. Then, we determined the height of the light for the plants on this top shelf. Since some of the plants were tall, we needed to make sure the light would hang from the ceiling and could cast light on the tallest plant.

Before image

To show you how dark the area we wanted to use was, here is the before image of the area we will be adding some light to. It was a bookcase (Affiliate Link) her grandfather made, perfect for this space in her bedroom.

Add Command Velcro Strips to the ceiling.

Then, we added the Command Velcro strips (Affiliate Link) to the ceiling. Then, add the round cord clip by 3M Command and firmly press. Let it sit for at least 10 minutes before hanging the light from it. We used these because they hold much better than the other regular Command Hook adhesive strips.

Now, we added the wire to the back hooks, making a crisscross shape so it would be able to hang over the area just by using one hook instead of four hooks. Be sure to twist the wire around the hooks firmly and ensure it is secure.

Make sure to add the wire diagonally so that you will have two sets of wires crossing each other.

Now, add the wires to the command hook on the ceiling. Adjust as needed. The power cable may pull down the light a bit because of the cable.

Next, add the cable to the extension cord by mounting it to the side of the bookcase (Affiliate Link). I used small Command strips (Affiliate Link) for this purpose. This will help the cord hang straight and not pull down on one side - resulting in the light being more level with the bookcase (Affiliate Link).

The Big Reveal

This added light to the bookcase (Affiliate Link) project we finished. It is lovely. And, so far, it hasn't fallen from the ceiling. Hopefully, it won't. Now, her beloved plants are getting all the light they need in this corner.

Tips on Making this DIY Add Lighting to the Bookcase Project

There are a few extra tips I didn't mention above.

• You can use faux ivy (Affiliate Link) to cover the cable of the light.
• Place the plants on the top shelf and measure from the ceiling with the wired light to determine the right height for the light.
• Adding the electrical strip with small Command strips (Affiliate Link) to the bookshelf (Affiliate Link) also allows for more plugs in a small space.

Well, I hope you enjoyed my project! I know my daughter was happy with it, and I was glad I could do something to help her poor plants. Please leave a comment below with any questions or comments. I would love to hear from you.

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Before and After the Lighting on the Bookcase