Ever since I built the LEGO Rivendell set, I’m not sure if I’ve opened a can of worms with Lego sets, or just fully embraced my love for only The Lord of the Rings LEGO sets.

Technically, Rivendell wasn’t my first big build. I completed the LEGO Voltron set back in 2018. But something felt different this time around. With Rivendell, I realized that the process of building was even more enjoyable than the finished product. It became a journey, almost meditative.

What made it so enjoyable?

For me, it was the simple rhythm: opening the box, sorting the numbered bags, and following each detailed step. There’s something incredibly calming about seeing a complex build come together piece by piece. I know experienced LEGO builders probably have their own methods, but I like taking my time, no rush, just the quiet satisfaction of the process.

And now, I’ve created a bit of a tradition. Whenever I build a Lord of the Rings LEGO set, I pair it with the corresponding films or series. During the Rivendell build, I watched a all of the Peter Jackson films, the animated film and a couple of episodes of The Rings of Power and found it surprisingly satisfying to measure my build time in episodes or movies.

Since Rivendell, I’ve completed both the Tower of Sauron: Barad-dûr and The Shire sets, and I’ve got the Balrog Book Nook ready to go next. Naturally, all my builds are enhanced with Light My Bricks lighting kits.

For fun, here’s how long it took me to complete each build:

Barad-dûr:

• The Rings of Power Season 1 – 6 episodes
• The Rings of Power Season 2 – 8 episodes
• Plus a detour into Matilda, for a change of pace

The Shire:

• The Fellowship of the Ring (Extended Edition)
• The Two Towers (Extended Edition)
• Half of The Return of the King (Extended Edition) — I finished the movie afterward, of course!

With two more sets to display, I was in need for a better way to showcase them and with that they were moved from the library to a more prominent spot in our gaming room. My LEGO journey through Middle-earth is far from over—and honestly, I’m not mad about it, I’m only excited to see what sets Lego will release next.