Just when you thought the RÅSKOG had the utility cart game on lock, IKEA drops the LOSHULT — a sleek, pine-wood beauty with serious hack potential. Compact yet roomy, minimalist but full of personality, LOSHULT isn’t just a cart. It’s your next project waiting to happen.
Need a bar cart for Friday nights? A charging dock by Monday? A plant stand, snack trolley, or pet palace in between? LOSHULT rolls with it, literally. With three open tiers and solid pine begging for customization, it’s basically a blank canvas on wheels.
We’re already dreaming up the hacks — and after this, you might be too.
Key features:
- Solid pine, tinted in clear acrylic lacquer (hello, custom finishes!)
- Three-tier design with open slats
- 2 front lockable caster wheels
- Price: $49
Hack A Portable, Practical, Party-Ready Bar Cart
Bar carts were the thing to have back in the 1920s, primarily as entertaining tools for the wealthy. But you could swim even further back in time and find a similar concept in the 19th century, only then, you’d call it a tea trolley.
The bar cart lost favor for a couple of decades, coming back into style during the 1950s. People liked how the simple bar cart complemented the clean lines of mid-century modern design.
Of course, fast-forward to today, and bar carts are often shown as anything but simple. In many cases, they become over-stylized props for social media status and pins.
These superfluous, trendy renditions of what a bar cart should be have led many people to believe that bar carts are impractical and unnecessary. However, we say, it all depends on how you plan to use it.
If you really want to use the IKEA LOSHULT cart as a portable drink-making station, then set it up for cocktail-creating success. Here’s how to get started:
1. Customize the Finish: Give the LOSHULT cart a fresh look with a coat of paint or stain. A quick layer of paint will elevate the pine wood to match your decor style. Sand it lightly, apply a primer, then paint. Seal it for added protection against spills.
2. Add a Handle Bar for Easy Mobility: A simple handle makes the cart easier to maneuver and doubles as a towel rack for quick wipe-ups during happy hour.
3. Personalize with Decorative Touches: Consider adding brass angles, wood slats, or decorative arches to create the aesthetic you’re after.
4. Show Off Your Glassware: Add the FINMALD glass rack below the top tier for wine glasses.
5. Bottle Storage: Slide in the HUTTEN 9-bottle wine rack on the bottom shelf to store your collection.
6. Stay Organized: Use a VARIERA box to organize napkins, bitters, and garnishes.
Top it off with a fun mat, shaker, and your signature spirits. Then, just wheel it in when the party starts and out of sight when it ends.
More Clever Uses for the IKEA LOSHULT Cart
Limiting the LOSHULT to just a bar cart? Not our style.
Even IKEA highlights how the cart is used in different rooms — styling the cart as a snack station in the kitchen, a home office helper, and a hobby hub in the family room. You can even use them as movable end tables for a functional, flexible furniture arrangement.
But we think that’s just scratching the surface. The LOSHULT’s versatility might just rival the beloved RÅSKOG. To start, here are five fun, functional ideas to try:
1. Rolling Art Station
Paints on top, sketchbooks in the middle, extra supplies below. Attach a SKÅDIS pegboard to the side for brushes and tools. Wheel it wherever inspiration strikes. Pair it with the IKEA MÅLA range for a mini creative corner.
2. Indoor Garden Cart
Transform your LOSHULT into a mini herb garden on wheels. Use BITTERGURKA planters on the shelves and hang VITLÖK flower boxes to the sides for bonus planting space. Stash a SALLADSKÅL watering can on the bottom tier. Roll it into the sunlight by day, tuck it out of the way by night.
3. Mobile Charging Dock
Mount a power strip underneath the shelf, add an organizer like OSTBIT plate holder or VARIERA pot lid organizer to hold your devices while they charge. Organize the type of devices by shelf (top shelf for phones, mid-shelf for tablets, and bottom for laptops) for a chaos-free tech corner.
4. Pet Bunk Bed
For years, the DUKTIG toy bed reigned supreme as the go-to hack for a pet bunk bed. But the LOSHULT might just steal the crown. With three roomy tiers and a larger footprint, it’s practically made for pets who like to sprawl, snooze, and claim every inch of space as their own.
5. Small Entryway Console
Keys, sunglasses, and mail on top. Shoes and bags below. A quick and easy solution for a small entryway.
IKEA’s Cart Comparison: LOSHULT vs. The Rest
Wondering how LOSHULT compares to your old favorites? Let’s break it down:
| Cart | Style | Material | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| LOSHULT | Scandinavian | Pine | $49 |
| NISSAFORS | Industrial | Powder-coated steel | $29.99 |
| RÅSKOG | Vintage/Industrial | Steel | $27.99 |
| JUTTERSBO | Retro | Plastic, steel | $19.99 |
LOSHULT is pricier, but it’s got serious hack potential.
Hack The LOSHULT Cart Challenge
We know you’ve got ideas. So let’s see them!
Tag your LOSHULT hacks with #IKEAHackersLOS and show us what you’ve made. We’ll feature our favorites right here on IKEAhackers. Bar cart, craft cart, mystery cart? Your call.
So, what do you think of IKEA’s new wooden cart? Drop your ideas in the comments below.