Empty parking lot with rows of concrete wheel stops.
via Canva

Not all design ideas are these glaring lightbulbs of inspiring innovation. Actually there are countless examples of designs that are just plain old disasters. These designs are bad through and through. That doesn’t mean that they weren’t funny either.

1. The final step on these stairs looks like the floor.

PeteJoz

Even if you knew it was there, I’m sure you would forget from time to time.

2. So, apparently, this is a bench.

A playground featuring a modern climbing frame with metal bars. In the background, there is a set of swings, a bench, a fenced area, and trees. The sky appears to be at dusk, and the ground has both grassy and paved sections.
u/nico_repetto/via reddit.com

The most uncomfortable and dangerous bench you’ll ever attempt to sit on.

3. Seriously, who goes and walks down the stairs like this.

A triangular warning sign with a red border and yellow background showing a stick figure falling downstairs. The sign is hung with a single fastener at the top. It is mounted indoors, with a glass window and bookshelves visible in the background.
different_wind8260

Don’t walk like John Lennon down the stairs. Got it.

4. I’m very curious as to what’s behind this door.

A white door positioned midway on a concrete wall in a stairwell, with a metal handrail leading upward. The stark and minimalist surroundings emphasize the unusual placement of the door.
just_me_anonymously

Do you think Voldemort is back there?

5. The asterisk is used on every item.

A chalkboard menu rests on a wooden stand against a brick wall. The menu lists: Brew + Barm £5, Coffee + Pastry £4, Ice Cream Tub £3, and Iced Latte £4. A footnote states: (*Bacon or Sausage). The text is written in different colors of chalk.
randomer_2222

That asterisk is giving me a bad feeling. What does it mean? Anyway, I’ll take one ice cream tub, please.

6. Talk about an odd design for a light fixture.

A modern, geometric chandelier with black metal framing and cylindrical white bulbs hangs from a ceiling in a kitchen. The background features white cabinetry and a glimpse of a microwave oven.
dmacmcgee

I would not want that thing hanging over my head. Every guest you have over says, “Hey, did you notice what that thing looks like?” Yeah, we noticed.

7. This gate.

A narrow paved path winds through a lush, green wooded area. A blue gate blocks the path, allowing pedestrian access while preventing vehicle entry. Adjacent to the gate is a wooden bench, partially overgrown by surrounding foliage.
medi_dat

This is the type of work you do when someone tells you to do something that you do not want to do.

8. A seriously counter-effective barrier.

A urinal is covered with a piece of cardboard that has six large circular holes cut out. The cardboard has "Do not use please" handwritten on it. There is a strip of tape securing the cardboard, and a blue bucket is placed on the floor in front of the urinal.
murkyplastic-6706

For those who don’t know, this is absolutely a challenge that men have been training for their whole lives.

9. So, one of these doors has a recycling chute behind it.

Two gray doors labeled "Trash Chute" with white signs are side by side in a beige hallway. Both doors have silver handles and are located on a wooden floor.
representativekeebs

I would absolutely be marking the recycling door. Even with a sticker or something. Come on. Does anybody have a label maker?

10. Found this card at Walgreens

A card display features a card with an illustration of a person sitting in a blue chair, holding a book. The text "cut yourself" is on the card. Above, there is a label reading "Tough Times.
Paradoxyc

I’m going to give them the benefit of the doubt and assume it says “some slack” on the bottom of the card.

11. This just looks mean.

A long, narrow section of pavement with numerous concrete parking bumpers arranged in a diagonal pattern, making it unusable for parking. The area is bordered by curbs, with some greenery and trees on the sides, and vehicles parked in the background.
fuegolicious

There has got to be a good story behind this very aggressive move.

12. The acronym doesn’t fit the text.

A poster on a brick wall outlines rules for the dining room. It features an acronym "ROAR": R- Clean up after ourselves, O- Use our time wisely, A- Use manners, R- Listen to adult. The poster has a cartoon image of a smiling lion in a blue shirt.
money_jackal

You know whatever adult that made this was so proud of it, too.

13. This carpet in a hotel I stayed at is a disaster.

A close-up of a floor transition between two different carpet patterns. The top section features a wavy, abstract design in brown and yellow, while the bottom section shows a geometric pattern with interlocking shapes in red and white. Edges appear frayed and uneven.
no-curve-8968

You know that if they’re cutting corners like this, they are not thoroughly cleaning the rooms either. This is a big red flag.

14. Hmm. Which is it?

Two mayonnaise bottles side by side. The bottle on the left has a label stating "Refrigerate after opening and store in refrigerator door. Do not freeze." The bottle on the right shows "Hellmann's Real Mayonnaise" with "No Refrigeration Needed" above it.
pizza-burrito

I don’t know what to do. Someone tell me what to do.

15. Just a nice hold in the wall that divides the townhouse bathroom and hallway.

A room with high ceilings has a unique architectural feature—a large, pentagon-shaped window opening that allows natural light from an adjacent space. There’s a partially visible open wooden door and a corner of a wall in the foreground.
enerrgizer_

Have you ever been in someone else’s bathroom and were horrified to hear how loud the voices in the other room were, knowing that they could hear you equally as well? Well, what if we made a design to make your side even louder? So much.

Meet the Writer

Matt has spent over the last 8 years as both a writer and editor, working in Seattle and Brooklyn, where he is now based. He loves escaping the tirelessly fast pace of the “Mad Apple” that is NYC by taking walks and runs through parks where he’s able to catch up on the latest tea about society from the city’s ever chatty, always hungry, occasionally maniacal, pigeons. They always have a lot to say. When he’s not taking his urban nature strolls, or dutifully combing the deepest rabbit holes of the internet to find the content that’s worth sinking your mind’s teeth into, he’s likely holed up at a dark-lit dive bar with a new book and/or some friends, or just as easily he could be on the hunt for the next addition to his steadily growing plant family.

These days Matt’s caught up in trying to provide folks as many vivid glimpses into the days long since passed as he can, through fun and engaging collections of hand-picked vintage photos.