There’s good design. There’s bad design. And we can usually intuitively tell the two apart just by looking at it. But wait! There’s also ‘design design,’ a really weird category that straddles the line between quality aesthetics and truly awful taste. Some designers just don’t know when to stop designing their designy designs and go way overboard. Are we starting to sound redundant and over-complicated? Good, now you’re getting it!
The best (worst?) of these ‘designy designs’ end up being shared on the r/DesignDesign subreddit, an intriguing online community that both celebrates and criticizes these errr VeRy InTeReStInG aNd ArTiStIc ideas for products and furniture. We’ve collected some of the most bizarre and original pics to share with you, Pandas.
Scroll down, upvote the designs that really had an impact on you, and if you love what you see, consider becoming a member of the subreddit.
Bored Panda reached out to Matt Johnson, Ph.D., the host of the Consumer Psychology Blog and the Human Nature Blog, for a few insights on the importance of finding the right balance between the designer's vision for their product, as well as what would appeal to consumers. He told us that, at its core, user experience is about empathy. Johnson is a professor of consumer psychology at Hult International Business School and Harvard University, and the author of 'Branding that Means Business.' Read on for our interview with him.
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Wall Outlets With Extension Cords Built Into The Wall
Stacked Seating At A Restaurant
Hidden Fire Extinguishers
I like it too - but there needs to be a BIG sign next to the artwork incase they’re ever actually needed
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But in the event of a fire do you know where fire extinguishers are or will you already be looking for them?
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It's not that hidden. And I promise you people who work in the building know where these are. They might be the most accessible extinguishers in the whole building because they aren't locked behind a glass door.
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I don't know if that's legal. At least in my country there should be a huge red regtangle sticker abowe the extinguisher.
As someone who did - although basic - fire training, I can confirm these extinguisher are good for fire the size of office rubbish basket - and hopefully not really full of papers. Anything else - don't bother to even pick it up, just organize other to leave as quickly as possible.
gl if you gotta find one fast, probably gonna overlook it a few times
This isnt hidden in the slightest remember yall this is a picture but in real life those are 3d objects on a flat wall
Fancy, but main problem I see is that fire extinguishers in case of emergency have to be sliarly visible, not blinding in, because sometimes even seconds can make a difference.
Its cute for sure, but it's maybe something that shouldn't be hidden?
That's fine until there's a fire and no one realizes those are functional.
I have to disagree with everyone who thinks this is making them hard to find. How many fire extinguishers have you walked by and would never notice or remember. I think this solidifies it in the mind.
This isn't bad. As long as people know where they are, that's what matters.
So... this does look cool, but probably would not pass NFPA & OSHA Fire Prevention & Life Safety codes in Kentucky. Now as far as the other areas of the United States of America and the American Continent as a whole (Canada, Mexico, the nations of Central America and South America, because America is not just the USA. Contrary to what some people might believe or espouse) Also, as the rest of the world 🌎 goes, in terms of Fire Prevention and Life Safety codes, I do not know. The main reason being, that I see, is that the Fire Extinguishers themselves, are not horizontally parallel with the floor. Although a special waiver, might be authorized, if the design and placement meets other factors.
This could lead to a hazard. Soem people don't look very carefully so if there was a.fire there's a chance they won't look close enough and miss them there
Fire extinguishers should be prominently visible, not blend in with the decor or hidden. People are so frightened stupid.
Are they easy to find in case of fire? Sometimes decoration may be too tricky
That's not legal in many places - you should noy have to look for them... it should be obvious in an emergency...
in the event of an emergency this could prevent someone from finding them, they are meant to be easily found
I like the idea of making them more interesting, but fire extinquishers are bright red for a reason!
Maybe, but not clear enough for locating the extinguishers in any emergency!
As long as they are easily identifiable in the case of an actual emergency!
What happens if people can't find it in a panic situation due to disguise.. Just kidding, looks esthetic.
Omg, this is terrible! Fire extinguishers are not supposed to be fashionable, they are utilitarian! The last thing you want on a fire situation is for the fire extinguishers to be camouflaged. This is very dangerous.
While it looks cool, probably not a good idea to hide the fire extinguishers
Sure 'cause you'll have plenty of time to think 'Oh, gosh, now where did I put those fire extinguishers...
Yep, because if there's one thing you don't want people to find it's the FIRE EXTINGUISHER!!!
Yeah that's great until you need to find one in a hurry, to you know like a fire 🔥🙂
Absent minded me would never see the Fire Extinguishers
Not the kind of thing you want to Hidden or blend it into the background kind of defeats the purpose
This might be funnier if they appear to be chasing their real life vests down there, because it is that bad. Seriously though, maybe this will become the next thing to calling "FIRE!" In a theatre on the law books.
Great...during an adrenaline fueled fire panic it'll get noticed right away...
This is such a bad idea that I'm hoping someone sets fire to the place.
I liked it until I pictured a panicking person running by them looking for the expected set up while smoke filled the air. 😬
if there was a fire, i would run right past these because I couldn't see them
Yeah! So when fire breaks out nobody will know where the fire extinguishers are... It is still cool tho
If you need a fire extinguisher didn't know where to look, that could be a problem.
This is very cool, but it does require a level of awareness that may be too high in an emergency?
It looks nice, but no. In case of fire, you NEED to find the fire extiguisher fast. I know, this is plain wall next to stone floor, but that doesn't matter, finding or not finding one is the difference between escaping and death in flames.
I think part of the problem is that they paired the fire extinguishers with images of people underwater and made them seem like air canisters. Your mind may not make the connection to fire quick enough during an emergency, even if you, at one time knew they were there. It's too serene a scene.
But once you see it you can't unsee it. So enough people will realize it that if they need these they can be easily found.
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That's awesome, until you're in a hurry when there's actually a fire and the room is full of smoke.
Why is this on this list? This awesome. Make'em a bit more noticeable tho. Fire safety and all.
No. Just no. How has this place not been fined? Emergency equipment needs to be readily identifiable and easily accessible. This is not a place to be cute or clever. When someone is panicking, they don't need to have to process out the wall design.
What's wrong with this!? It works here! Maybe not everywhere. But here it's cool
Yeah. HIDDEN fire extinguishers are the best. Imagine looking for them while in fire induced state of panic.
Cute but don't you usually want it to be very obvious where fire extinguishers are?
I like it, but in case of a fire when everybody is already agitated - who will find them?
I'm trying to picture a fire marshal who'd say "sure, go ahead and make them a little harder to find."
It's no good. People panic and they won't see these right. It's clever but as a health and safety guy... Nah.
I feel like it is a cute idea, however, they definitely needs a sign altering people.
The design is great! However I have neuropathic blind spots in my vision so could easily not see these if needed. Also people like my late father who could never find anything right in front of him, they would Never see the fire extinguishers 🔥🙄🤣🤣
It’s all nice and designy until there’s a fire and someone new to the building is looking for the nearest extinguisher.
a great idea but not sure its something you want to make hard to find in a rush.
Yay the place is burning down if only we had something to put out the fire?! Oh cool artwork
A great thing, for if a fire starts and you're paniking to find.....( There is no way that was aproved by any fire department )
Pretending to follow safety protocols by not placing them next to the doorway, and making them harder to see.
We were interested to learn more about the balance between what a designer wants from their product and what consumers look for. We asked Professor Johnson about what can help designers maintain a more grounded, user-friendly perspective.
"Ultimately, good UX is an act of empathy. You have to filter your creative vision for the product through the lens of the consumer’s needs, unique preferences, and tendencies. This means creating a balance between your own aspirations for the product (e.g. what you think it could be), and how it will intuitively seem to the end user (how the user will actually be used)," he explained to Bored Panda.
"Practically speaking, by inviting the consumer into the design process and getting feedback along the product development journey, the end result is much more likely to strike this balance." However, if there's only poor communication, you might end up with a disconnect between the two. Something that Piterskii-Punk-Wall accurately showed in their comic right over here.
Found On The Designp**n Frontpage
Ok I Think I Found The Ultimate Decanter. This One Keeps Me Awake At Night
Drink The Rainbow
Johnson, the host of the 'Neuroscience Of' blog, told Bored Panda that the best and most beloved products integrate both perspectives: that of the designer, as well as of the consumer.
"If the balance is tilted too far in the direction of the creator’s vision, as opposed to the user’s intuition and needs, it comes off too much as a standalone work of art, and not as a functional product," he said.
"This feels immediately obvious to the consumer: it's something that reflects an idea from a specific individual, but lacks the necessary translation to the broader world. In a word, it feels too much like ‘art,’" the professor told Bored Panda. He noted that this is perfectly fine and valuable in its own context. However, when it comes to the world of consumer products, there's a necessity for this additional layer of consumer empathy.
A Nature Inspired Bathroom
Imagine Going Through All The Trouble Of Publishing Just To See This
Frankly. I’m not sure whether you’ve been ripped off or not. (Edited: Changed ‘what her’ to ‘whether’)
Swinging In The Conference Room
As we see it, there are two main issues at play here when we’re talking about designy designs, aka over-designed products. Both explain, at least in part, why some creative professionals go completely overboard.
The first is a question of theory vs. practice and how even the best-laid plans don’t necessarily translate into reality. The second is about the relationship between the designer and their (real or imagined) audience—aka the end-users and consumers.
You might have an utterly amazing idea for a product or piece of furniture in your mind. Maybe you’ve even sketched it out! But even though the concept looks amazing on paper, it might not be the best fit for consumers. Something that any creator would be terrified to learn only after launching the idea into the market.
A Car Fender Bicycle
Possibly One Of The Worst Staircases I've Ever Seen
Door Knob Design That Gives You A Fish Eye View Of The Room Ahead
Maybe what you’ve come up with is more akin to art and is radically impractical to use every single day. Or the item is incredibly complex and unintuitive to the average shopper on the highstreet: something that you might not realize because you’ve spent so long on the design, you know it like the back of your hand. It’s a case of design short-sightedness where the professional can’t see the forest for the trees.
Meanwhile, the professional in charge of designing the product might be completely disconnected from their intended consumers. This might happen due to a lack of information on buying trends or because of less-than-stellar communication between them and their customers. That means that the designer is essentially stuck inside a bubble with only their own ideas to consider, with very little (if any!) outside feedback.
Holy F**king S**t
I don't see the problem. If this was mine, it would always look precisely like that! That's because I poop shiny little crystals. /jk
No Way This Can Go Wrong
Apartments In Amsterdam
It will be beautiful when plants will start growing in the terraces.
However, another possible explanation for this disconnect between designers and consumers can be attributed to a more human factor. Namely, arrogance. It’s perfectly fine, even praiseworthy, that you’re confident about your work and that you feel pride in what you’ve achieved. Unfortunately, this can sometimes overshadow the end goal of what’s being sold, namely, that people want to buy and use what you’re offering.
Perhaps the creator feels like they have far better taste than the would-be buyers. So they want to ‘enlighten the masses’ (or something equally as pompous). Here’s the thing, though. Even if it’s a well-intentioned idea to want to educate people about good taste, there are different ways to go about it.
To put it mildly, it’s not the best idea to go about bragging to everyone how much more educated and intelligent you are while poking fun at them for being tasteless. However, when you come from a place of humility and a genuine desire to help, others are more open to what you have to say.
Imagine What It Looks Like In Fall
Another Silverware Set... Another Useless Spoon
A Banana Slide That Trains Your Determination. If You Get Lost, Your Crotch Will Die
At the same time, no matter how successful and well-received a designer’s work might have been in the past, it doesn’t guarantee that their next idea will be good. Multi-functional furniture might not have the mass appeal that they hope it will, meaning it’ll remain a niche product for very niche buyers.
Similarly, even if your lovingly-crafted set of cutlery is pleasant to look at, it might be utterly atrocious to eat with, so you’re left with a decorative piece that very few people actually like.
Injury Attorney’s Dream Staircase
Just No
This Is The New University Building Of Freiburg That At The Same Time Blinds The Road Traffic
The r/DesignDesign subreddit was founded a few years ago, in mid-July of 2018. Since then, they’ve amassed a following of 120k redditors. The moderators running the whole show stress the fact that the pics shared by the members of the community have to be, at the same time, examples of good and awful design. There should be a balance between the two.
Found On Fb... I Can Hear This Image
Books And Bath
One minor earthquake and you'd die in the bath, crushed under an avalanche of books. Wait, can I request that?
Let Me Just Find My Keys
Meanwhile, the mods also ask their members to avoid reposting other people’s photos too much. “Reposts are OK as long as the post hasn't been submitted in 6 months or more than 3 times,” they set out the rules. That way, the content’s kept fresher and it helps avoid people farming attention just for the sake of attention.
A Balcony Without Sun Or Fresh Air Is Just A People Shelf
Oh Yes, Reverse-Lamp
These Would Be Awful To Use
Broadly speaking, taste might be subjective (e.g. preferences for minimalism or maximalism), but there are many things that we can agree on that do and don’t make much sense. If a product is user-friendly, ergonomic, intuitive to use, and matches our expectations, then we can say that it’s an example of good design.
Just No
For Me, The Juicy Salif Is The Pinnacle Of Design Design
This is a Philippe Starck's design for the Italian brand Alessi, I have it, and I love it... And, if someone is wondering... Yes, I used it. And, yes, it's a total mess!
This Hallway Must Have Looked Awesome On The Blueprints
On the flip side, something that’s more like a puzzle that requires an IQ of 160 to figure out won’t get many smiles from the crowd (unless they bought it specifically because they love over-designed, over-complicated stuff). Put the user first and you can’t go wrong. Put your designs above them and you might end up in the grey zone where quality and awful taste meet.
Does This Count?
Reinventing The Pint
When You Want The Guarantee Of A Broken Neck From Your Staircase
This Fire Pit That Doubles As A Side Table When You Tip All The Ash On The Floor
Splash-Proof Urinals
W Fart Free Water
The Lucky Knot Bridge In China
Why? Just Why?
Thanks I Hate It
A Bookshelf To Store Some Pebbles Or Something
Because A Hat Would Be Far To Complicated
This Sink. Spotted On A Facebook Ad
A Maze Of Concentric Circles On The Back Of The Phone Fitting Its Earphones Perfectly
This Luxurious Toilet
Clocks
Dear God I Just Needed To Pee
Love Designy Cumbersome Roundware
Saw This On Insta
Oddly, if you know how to read a clock, they don’t even need numbers, so why bother?
That Looks Comfortable
Stock Market Bench
Oh yeah, now it's not only homeless people who are banned from sleeping on it, it's also everybody else who can't use it. Next level bench! /s
Note: this post originally had 120 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.
I don't think any of the designers seem to know that disabled people exist. As an ambulatory wheelchair user/walking stick user loads of these would be a nightmare for me.
Many of them would be dangerous to 100% able bodied people too.
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Regarding all the stairs: Do they not have building codes? They are death traps.
I've reached the end!!! And I am absolutely mentally exhausted. I need a glass of wine.
I think the majority of the first half of the list were awesome designs!
Love this BP thread. Great to see so many people thinking outside the box. So far outside the box that they fall off. Brilliant for claustrophobics, space saving, sometimes environmentally friendly. A great reminder that my designs aren't so weird after all.
Surely you didn't need all the fingers on that one hand?
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Going thru these was fun. However now I'm worried about the 2 hours of my life I'll never get back. But this was one of the better BP offerings.
A few of the ones at the top were pretty cool! The rest, though….
Smart home a to z https://comfortablelife4u.blogspot.com/2023/02/building-smart-home-a-to-z-guide.html
I don't think any of the designers seem to know that disabled people exist. As an ambulatory wheelchair user/walking stick user loads of these would be a nightmare for me.
Many of them would be dangerous to 100% able bodied people too.
Load More Replies... Regarding all the stairs: Do they not have building codes? They are death traps.
I've reached the end!!! And I am absolutely mentally exhausted. I need a glass of wine.
I think the majority of the first half of the list were awesome designs!
Love this BP thread. Great to see so many people thinking outside the box. So far outside the box that they fall off. Brilliant for claustrophobics, space saving, sometimes environmentally friendly. A great reminder that my designs aren't so weird after all.
Surely you didn't need all the fingers on that one hand?
Load More Replies... Going thru these was fun. However now I'm worried about the 2 hours of my life I'll never get back. But this was one of the better BP offerings.
A few of the ones at the top were pretty cool! The rest, though….
Smart home a to z https://comfortablelife4u.blogspot.com/2023/02/building-smart-home-a-to-z-guide.html
