Circumstances in the New York housing market are rarely serendipitous – not when you’re paying more than most people’s mortgages for an apartment where your living room is also your bedroom, and basic comforts like consistent heat feel like a pipe dream. But when I moved into my studio five years ago, something unexpectedly fortuitous was already waiting in my kitchen: the IKEA FÖRHÖJA Kitchen Cart.
It belonged to the previous tenant (I assume they didn’t feel like hauling a solid birch cart down three flights of narrow, pre-war stairs). Given my kitchen’s near-total lack of counter space, I immediately understood why they’d bought it. The cart effectively doubled my usable worktop, while adding two drawers and a two-tier shelf’s worth of kitchen storage. I kept it without hesitation.
Dimensions: 39 ⅜” L × 16 ⅞” W × 35 ⅜” H
Part buffet, part breakfast nook, part extra countertop, the FÖRHÖJA does a lot without advertising it. It rolls wherever you need it, has storage drawers accessible from both sides (ideal for island-style use), and offers generous shelving – each tier can hold up to nine wine bottles, should that be the plan. Made from solid wood, it can also be sanded or stained to match your cabinetry or stand out as a statement. Rated 4.7 stars from 500+ reviews.
I’m glad I did. What I didn’t anticipate was just how indispensable it would become. I added woven baskets to the lower shelves for food, napkins, placemats, and kitchen odds and ends. The left drawer holds Ziploc bags and foil; the right is a dedicated junk drawer, which we’ll politely not unpack.
Structurally, the FÖRHÖJA is more capable than it looks. The butcher-block top holds up to real use – chopping, heat-heavy appliances like toaster ovens and air fryers – the same way a fixed countertop would, which isn’t a given with movable islands.
The striped skirt came later (an Etsy find) and wasn’t totally necessary. I genuinely admired the openness of the exposed shelves. But since organization isn’t exactly my forte, the skirt offered a little grace, disguising my less-than-editorial snack situation on busy weeks. It also made this wildly ubiquitous IKEA room idea feel, finally, like mine.
A quick scan of the reviews confirms what I’ve learned firsthand: that this IKEA cart is absolutely iconic. Yes, it’s excellent in kitchens. But thanks to its proportions – and the fact that it rolls – it works just as well as a storage trolley elsewhere in the home.
‘Bought this product to increase the amount of workspace in our small kitchen,’ one reviewer writes. ‘This movable island was the perfect fit. The size is perfect, the height is perfect. A plus is that we can easily move it from the kitchen to the dining area if we want to use it to serve food.’
I’ve seen it repurposed in guest bedrooms, too – towels and blankets below, books in the drawers, water and snacks on top. Its Scandi look is neutral enough to blend in nearly anywhere you need it to. Heck, I could even imagine it in a garage.
Which is all to say: if I hadn’t inherited the FÖRHÖJA by chance, I almost certainly would have bought it anyway. Five years on, it's sincerely the most streamlined, space-saving kitchen cart I’ve ever encountered – one I still rely on daily, and still enjoy looking at.
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It’s essentially FÖRHÖJA’s little sister. There are no drawers, but the concept is the same: two tiers of open shelving that work well with woven baskets for corralling essentials, plus a generously sized top for an appliance or extra prep space. One side sits on wheels, making it easy to pull in and out of a corner as needed.
If you’re after something more substantial, the TORNVIKEN is easily one of IKEA’s most popular kitchen storage solutions. It’s just as tall – but longer and wider than the FÖRHÖJA – making it better suited to holding pots, pans, and stacks of Tupperware. What it lacks in mobility, it makes up for with a rustic presence that reads more like a permanent fixture.
If you’re after even more streamlined storage – or, for whatever reason, have a kitchen smaller than mine – this three-tier trolley offers a deceptively large amount of storage, thanks in part to the bamboo lid, which neatly conceals clutter. Like the other carts, it isn’t limited to the kitchen. Art supplies, cosmetics – anything is fair game.
Love the FÖRHÖJA? Plenty where that came from. Discover nine more IKEA pieces that look more expensive than they are.
