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.
#1 Hidden Fire Extinguishers
Image credits: peter-s
#2 Drink The Rainbow
Image credits: AgainstTheAgainst
#3 A Nature Inspired Bathroom
Image credits: TheBrontosaurus
#4 Imagine Going Through All The Trouble Of Publishing Just To See This
Image credits: unicodePicasso
#5 Swinging In The Conference Room
Image credits: Dr_Zol_Epstein_III
#6 Possibly One Of The Worst Staircases I've Ever Seen
Image credits: FastGinFizz
#7 Another Silverware Set... Another Useless Spoon
Image credits: elrolo123
#8 A Banana Slide That Trains Your Determination. If You Get Lost, Your Crotch Will Die
Image credits: DonnySRT-10
#9 Injury Attorney’s Dream Staircase
Image credits: CaptainCaptain17
#10 Just No
Image credits: DavyBoyWonder
#11 This Is The New University Building Of Freiburg That At The Same Time Blinds The Road Traffic
Image credits: schalker1207
#12 Found On Fb... I Can Hear This Image
Image credits: 12welveCreations
#13 Books And Bath
Image credits: hannahwith
#14 Let Me Just Find My Keys
Image credits: braveNewWorldView
#15 A Balcony Without Sun Or Fresh Air Is Just A People Shelf
Image credits: WithaK19
#16 Oh Yes, Reverse-Lamp
Image credits: Matuteconsuaj
#17 These Would Be Awful To Use
Image credits: mossycavities
#18 Just No
Image credits: Grown_Ass_Kid
#19 This Hallway Must Have Looked Awesome On The Blueprints
Image credits: mcwiggin
#20 Does This Count?
Image credits: DavyBoyWonder
#21 Reinventing The Pint
Image credits: zeph_yr
#22 When You Want The Guarantee Of A Broken Neck From Your Staircase
Image credits: Helpful-Substance685
#23 This Fire Pit That Doubles As A Side Table When You Tip All The Ash On The Floor
Image credits: OhoBenderez
#24 Splash-Proof Urinals
Image credits: Ok-Antelope9334
#25 The Lucky Knot Bridge In China
Image credits: reliseak
#26 Thanks I Hate It
Image credits: Tacklefina
#27 Wall Outlets With Extension Cords Built Into The Wall
Image credits: joeepeterson03
#28 Ok I Think I Found The Ultimate Decanter. This One Keeps Me Awake At Night
Image credits: living_legend6
#29 A Car Fender Bicycle
Image credits: VOTROI
#30 No Way This Can Go Wrong
Image credits: R1m1s4k
#31 Apartments In Amsterdam
Image credits: spitzyyy
#32 Imagine What It Looks Like In Fall
Image credits: VexuBenny
#33 Why? Just Why?
Image credits: MIRIIE
#34 A Bookshelf To Store Some Pebbles Or Something
Image credits: 2roK
#35 Because A Hat Would Be Far To Complicated
Image credits: echis
#36 This Sink. Spotted On A Facebook Ad
Image credits: reddit.com
#37 A Maze Of Concentric Circles On The Back Of The Phone Fitting Its Earphones Perfectly
Image credits: airkiko
#38 This Luxurious Toilet
Image credits: markkobarr
#39 Clocks
Image credits: jesset77
#40 Dear God I Just Needed To Pee
Image credits: mastermithi29
#41 Love Designy Cumbersome Roundware
Image credits: Used_envelopes
#42 Saw This On Insta
Image credits: paulekas_
#43 That Looks Comfortable
Image credits: ffrsh
#44 Stock Market Bench
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Image credits: joshart
#45 Stacked Seating At A Restaurant
Image credits: Xerxes2004
