Creating Cosy Corners: Rolife Bookstore Book Nook DIY Kit Review

What better than a book nook book nook? This wonderfully quaint library book nook was only the second I’ve made, but I love making something functional as well as aesthetic. As always, Rolife has done a great job of creating this delightful DIY book nook kit that’s easy to put together and makes me smile every time I walk past it. 

The Bookstore DIY Book Nook Kit, is one of a new-ish collection of wooden book nook kits made by Rolife, a sub-brand owned by ROBOTIME.

What does the book nook kit include?

The bookstore book nook kit includes 194 pieces.

I’m not going to list every single item that comes with the kit, but there’s the gist:

Some of the tools might not be included in your kit, depending on where you are in the world and where you buy from. 

Other things you’ll need

Kit tips

How long does the book nook library take to make?

I think it’s taken me around 4 hours to complete the book nook, so Rolife’s 3.5-hour prediction is not far off. I think a beginner might want to take more time if they’re not familiar with this kind of kit.

What is the difficulty level?

While there are some fiddly parts, this is not a hugely difficult DIY miniature kit. The electrics, while easier than other kits, can be a little challenging, especially as there is no “test” during the construction to make sure you’ve completed the wiring correctly. In fact, it wasn't really until I got to the final part of the book nook kit construction, that I had some issues. 

I experienced two problems: 1. After a little jiggling while putting the final pieces together, one of the shelving units at the back of the book nook library fell down. I did end up using some glue here, because it didn't just fall down once, it fell down and then apart 2 or 3 times. 2. An earlier part of the build must not have been in properly, because when I put the lid on, it wouldn't push down completely. I'm writing this in real-time, so I do intend to take it apart and find the culprit before publishing this.

Is the book nook kit suitable for children? 

I think with a parent for supervision and for help with the lighting, a child could construct this without much help. Rolife suggests 14 years old, but I think this is because of the electronics more than anything.

How clear are the instructions?

The instructions are pretty decent. There aren’t any words, making it good for kids (and localization), but I did find some of the pictures a little confusing, especially since some of the pieces weren’t labeled either.

Putting it all together

To be honest, I love the look of this kit. And, even though, in actuality, there’s a lot of repetition in making books, I didn’t find it boring at all. Rolife has managed to mix up a variety of shelving units, book covers, and other small accessories to make this an engaging and fun-to-make kit.

As with all DIY miniature kits, there are fragile pieces that can easily break if they’re not handled with care. While, let's be honest is tricky when you’re trying to jam them in holes that aren’t big enough. I had a couple of close calls that were easily fixed with a little glue, but you’d be better off just keeping your sandpaper on hand to avoid these silly mistakes.

I’ve noticed with many of the newer Rolife kits that some parts are being replaced with fully completed plastic pieces. Since the rest of the kit is glue-free, it’s not such a big deal, but in general, I prefer to see (and do) as much DIY as possible. I agree with some reviews online that the plastic chair looks a little out of place, and would be better made from material to enhance its ‘cosy’ book nook style.

Would I try another Rolife kit?

This is my first Rolife book nook, but I’m a huge fan of Rolife DIY miniature kits. I have another DIY book nook from Rolife (garden room) ready to go, so watch this space! 

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