Small Kitchen? This Ikea Hack Creates The Island You Thought You Couldn't Have

If you have a small kitchen, you might wish that you could poof your furniture out of existence whenever you need extra room, then put it back just as easily. This is especially true for kitchen islands, which can be an obtrusive waste of square footage, despite how nice they look. But with the FÖRHÖJA kitchen cart from Ikea, you can have an island that not only moves wherever you want it, but can be put away in a snap.

This simple and chic cart not only has wheels that make it super easy to move, but it offers more storage space than many permanent islands. With two drawers and two open racks, you can conveniently store utensils, kitchen towels, dishes, alcohol bottles, and more. At just over ​​39 inches long and 16 inches wide, the surface gives you plenty of extra workspace, and the material is a light-colored birchwood that meshes well with most kitchens. You could also paint this table to make it match your decor even better.

The FÖRHÖJA cart matches up with tips from interior designers on how to make a small kitchen feel luxe, such as making your decor functional and getting creative with hiding items. If you need room to cook or clean, just roll your island out of the kitchen or inside a closet. With a nearly five-star rating out of over 400 reviews, this is easily one of the best products that will make your small kitchen more functional.

While nailing the perfect placement is of no concern with Ikea's FÖRHÖJA Cart, figuring out how to choose the perfect kitchen island for your space is still paramount before purchasing. You might find that this portable island is still too large for your kitchen, or that you need a material more durable than wood for your cooking needs. In this case, other Ikea hacks to know before remodeling your kitchen can come to the rescue. Products such as the KALLAX shelf unit or LACK tables are great stand-ins for permanent islands.

If you're doing a full kitchen renovation, you could also install a pull-out or swing-out counter extension. These miniature counters are integrated directly into slots in your existing countertops. You simply pull them out via a handle when you need some extra surface, then slide them back in once you're finished. These just might be the most space-efficient replacements for an island.

What if your kitchen is truly tiny and you can't make permanent changes to the room? A rolling utility cart can give you the same benefits as a rolling island, just on a smaller scale. Ikea's LOSHULT utility cart is a great example, offering three tiers of storage in a compact 15-by-15 width and length. It can squeeze into even smaller areas when you need all the floor space you can get.