There’s nothing like a good design that has you thinking to yourself, “yeah, that’s cool”. Think of it – imagine a world without the genius designs we all take for granted, like staircases and bridges and printers. They might not be the most exciting designs in the world to us right now, but they were the most impressive things around when they were first invented.
Yes, we’ve seen some of the best designs in history already, but that doesn’t mean the occasional creative genius isn’t still working away to produce something to impress us consumers. Whether it’s architecture or product design, there are still ways to improve and simplify the things that surround us today.
From self-balancing pool tables to fun stackable cans and clever ATM machine screens, we’ve rounded up some of the most creative ideas that show just how useful and effective design can be.
1. “You Can See Information On This Screen Only By Standing Directly In Front Of It.”
In this day and age, privacy is everything to the consumer. As we move more and more toward an economy based on computers and electronic funds, being able to protect your personal information will be a top priority for not just financial institutions, but for the everyday person with their laptop or phone. That is what makes this screen so valuable, as it is virtually illegible from any angle except a head-on view.
Source:
Reddit/barneyrubble82
2. “A Barber And His Car”
Advertisements are ubiquitous in our society and, after a while, they all tend to blend together. It takes quite a measure of creativity to stand out in this crowd. This logo designer gets 5 stars for his car-wrap idea. There’s no questioning what this man loves to do for his profession, so why wouldn’t you trust him with your cuts?
Source:
Reddit/fiendish64
3. “Box Of Fries In Amsterdam Has Separate Pocket To Dip In Ketchup”
The best designs are the ones that serve more than one purpose. This designer definitely deserves an award for his practical container design. Who doesn’t love ketchup with their fries? Now you can have it on the go by simply flipping up this fold-out pocket from the fry container.
Source:
Reddit/LaBobcat
4. “These Bathroom Signs At A Cafe”
This logo designer has proven that restroom signs can be as cute as a button. To flow with the environment of the cafe, the artist simply used a coffee mug as the body for the men’s room sign and flipped it over to look like a dress for the women’s room. There truly is art in simplicity.
Source:
Reddit/emilydickinsonsdress
5. “This Restaurant Uses Shadows To Show Men And Women Restrooms”
This designer implemented the true eye of an artist with these Men’s and Women’s restroom signs. Rather than just using the standard and unsightly old decals, he welded a metal ‘M’ and ‘W’ over the respective doors. With a light bulb placed just perfectly, these metal letters work to cast dramatic shadows of the letter over each door.
Source:
Reddit/Rook_Mozga
6. “This Paper Plane-Shaped Bench On The Observation Deck Of An Airstrip”
If you are going to have to have something, you might as well make it look awesome. That’s what the designer of this observation deck at an airstrip did. He added style and functional flow by building this bench to look like a paper airplane.
Source:
Reddit/p3dantic
7. This All In One Indoor Gardening System That Lets You Grow Fruits And Veggies Year-Round
This designer might deserve a Nobel Peace Prize for this nifty inventions. Taking hydroponic growing out of the realm of sterile science and incorporating it into functional home design. Now you can cut your food bills by over half with this indoor gardening system that allows you to produce your herbs, fruits, and veggies all year round.
8. The Extraordinary Elevator In Prague’s City Hall
You’ll feel like you just stepped into the strange world of Harry Potter when you take a ride on this weird elevator in Prague’s City Hall. As opposed to waiting for an elevator ride as it makes its rounds, this elevator is more like a turn-style. The face stays open and as one “box” passes another comes along right behind it. Simply wait for the next opening, hop in, and enjoy the view along the ride up or down.
9. “This Electric Company Has An Electrical Outlet On Their Building.”
The best way to stand out as a company is to let people know what it is you do before they ever enter the door. Rather than renting out a huge billboard at exorbitant costs each month, this electric company got creative with their advertisement. There’s no question what this company is involved with when you see the gigantic outlet attached to their building.
Source:
Reddit/bre1899
10. This Modern Kitty High-Rise Apartment
Ditch the ugly eyesores that are cat towers and put your actual cat on display with this awesome kitty bubble room. It’s well ventilated so it keeps dust and grime to a minimum. The large display bubble lets your cat look out while still feeling safe and hidden from view, and you get to see more of your favorite buddy.
11. “This Train-Bush”
Most people look at overgrown shrubs and see nothing but a bunch of work. This designer got in touch with his creative side, though. Rather than cutting the shrubs down into basic level geometric shapes, he brought his vision to life by shaping it into a train.
Source:
Reddit/yamax87
12. This Minimalist Designed Side-Table That’s Still Fully Functional
Minimalism has been on the trend for over a decade now, and it doesn’t look like it’s going anywhere. Unfortunately, clutter is an evergreen problem, even for the minimalist at heart. This designer solves a large portion of that problem with this end table. Still minimalist in structure, it serves several functions and gives storage space at the same time.
13. This Badass Bruce Lee Clock
Clocks are just boring most of the time and looking at them generally sucks because it means you’ve gotta be somewhere. This clock takes some of the sting out being pressed for time with some super badass Bruce Lee kicks. His head and torso count the hour, his right leg the minutes, and his left leg the seconds, allowing you to see his full range of badassery.
Source:
DesignBoom
14. High-Tech Self-Lacing Pumas
Tech has been invading the space of fitness for quite a while now. Thankfully, it is finally making its way into our footwear, too. Puma is releasing smart-lace technology, complete with an app for your phone to adjust the tightness and pattern of your shoelaces.
15. “This Paper Came With My Refrigerator And Tells Me That ‘There Are Some Sounds During Normal Running.'”
Honestly, it’s nice to know about all of the little ticks in your household appliances so you aren’t calling the repairman every time you hear a buzz. This designer was next-level in their operating manual, though. Going above and beyond, they listed every sound their refrigerator might make, complete with drawings that show the source of the noise.
Source:
Reddit/Pnuttn
16. The Only Ice Cream In The World Designed To Help You Take Care Of Your Teeth
It’s always good to know that manufacturers have their consumer’s health at the forefront of their mission. One particularly kind and concerned designer figured out a way to sweetly encourage you to brush your teeth after munching down an ice cream bar. I wonder how much Colgate’s sales increased after this smart little marketing trick.
17. Animal Magnetic Keyholders That Come To Life When You Hang Your Keys
The odd thing about key hangers is that even when you remember to use them, you can still forget where you put your dam keys. These cute little guys were designed to make it even easier for you to find them. When you clip your key to the feet, it pulls a magnet that causes the owl’s eyes to pop open. They close again when you remove the keys.
Source:
Qualy Designs
18. This Couch That Takes Hide-A-Beds To The Next Level
If you’ve got kids then you will definitely fall in love with this design. Rather than hiding an uncomfortable, heavy old hide-a-bed, one furniture designer has taken it to the next level by upscaling the idea into a hide-a-bunkbed. Super easy to use, you lift it out in one fluid motion and simply attach the head and foot boards.
19. “These Cans When Stacked Become A Full Body King”
This beer manufacturer decided it would be a good idea to come up with a way to keep their consumers entertained. Instead of cramming the image onto a single can, this company has printed their can so that you have to stack them to complete the picture of the king. After all, Kings should be regal in stature.
Source:
Reddit/Highlife2tall
20. This Soap Dispenser Designed With Dirty Hands In Mind
How many times have you cursed the fact that you have to get your soap dispenser dirty in order to get your hands clean? Well, you don’t have to worry about that anymore with this intelligently designed soap dispenser. With a wide base capable of staying upright beneath the pressure of your wrist, you can now get your soap out without having to clean the dispenser afterward.
21. “This Bamboo Sink.”
This designer found a way to bring the art of Zen to doing your dishes. This bamboo sink has a cascading waterfall flow from the faucet that gently falls into a sloped base. Not only is this decorative, but it is also functional, making it easier to wash larger dishes without making a mess.
Source:
Reddit/Plunger Mifflin
22. “A Light That Looks Like A Real Passageway”
Let your night light lead you off into the realm of dreams with its ethereal looking passageway. It looks so real that you’ll be peering at it closely trying to figure out how it was designed. The soft, ambient light makes it seem that much more otherworldly.
Source:
Reddit/LWOS101
23. A Self-Leveling Pool Table Built For Cruise Ships
This self-leveling pool table should really just be the standard everywhere. The table is gyroscopic, meaning that it adjusts itself to stay completely level as it is being rolled over ocean waves on a giant cruise ship. Question it? Just watch how those balls stay perfectly in place as it looks like the table leans down on one end…it’s straight-up trippy.
24. This Sauna With An Awesome Viewing Window
Going to a sauna is all about resetting your mind and spirit. The design of this sauna in Canada takes that practice to the next level. With a large, curved, organic-shaped window built into the sauna, its visitors can now relax in the steam as they soak in the natural beauty of a private wooded island on the water across from them.
25. “These Bike Rings Outside My Local Mall Are Shaped Like Padlocks.”
One inventive way to let people know what something is, is to build the explanation right into the product. That’s what this bike rack designer did when he fashioned the bike rings to look like humongous padlocks. It’s better looking than some overlookable sign, and no bicyclist will ever question what’s supposed to be done with them.
Source:
Reddit/jakefanstone
26. “These Ceiling Fan And Light Bulb Chain Pulls”
It is so frustrating pulling on each of the ceiling fan chains to try and stop the fan or turn on the light. Who the hell ever remembers the difference between the short one and the long one? This designer solved perhaps one of the most trivial yet undeniably annoying problems on the planet. Chain pulls that tell you what it controls.
Source:
Reddit/9liveslinds
27. A Toddler’s Run-Bike Or Modern Art?
A run-bike is a type of training bike for toddlers that teach them specifically how to use their balance. That’s why there’s no pedals, training wheels, or gears. This run-bike design looks far too beautiful to ever get scuffed up in a toddler’s tumble, though.
Source:
Pinterest/DesignBoom
28. This 2D Lamp The Projects 3D Optical Illusions
If you want a lamp that has the ability to distract you from your homework as much as help you with it, then this is the lamp for you. It’s only 2D, but with hundreds of tiny LED’s emitting different light patterns, it can fool you into thinking you’re looking at a 3D holographic projection. There isn’t a college kid in the world that wouldn’t love it.
29. The Artist That Clarified The Contents Of This Truck-Trailer
In case anyone was ever wondering, this designer didn’t want to leave any room for doubt. The advertisement works, too. I don’t know a single person that would look at that truck and not want to jump on board to take a bite.
Source:
Reddit/svbackend
30. This Furniture-Shaped Rubber Foam Storage System
Granted, it may look a little unconventional, but think about all the possibilities. You can shape the rubber foam into any style of furniture you want, or hell, even an animal. The best part is that it snuggly holds your kitchen equipment in place, keeping it dust AND break-free.
31. This Sink Designed By Architect Victor Vasilev
Where art and function combine, this sink looks like something out of a dream world. Made from marble and glass, with chrome fixtures, every material screams elegance and class. No more looking at nasty drains, either, as it is completely hidden from view.
Source:
Victor Vasilev
32. These Automatic Protective Car Umbrellas
If you’ve purchased a car within the last 10 years, you know that they are only getting more and more expensive. A fair chunk of that change comes from the paint job, so you definitely want to do what you can to protect it. That’s where this awesome automatic car umbrella comes into play. With the push of a button, you can cover your car with the umbrella to shade it from sun, hail, snow, or heavy rains.
33. This Pixelated Backpack That You Can Play Video Games On
This designer just made your kid’s dreams come true. With smart technology literally being woven into just about everything, it should come as no surprise that they have now computerized the fabric on backpacks. So, now your kid can play video games on his backpack instead of his phone.
34. These Nintendo Piranha Plant Slippers
Sometimes the best of inventions are simply the ones that inspire a feeling of nostalgia. That’s why these slippers are so amazing. Nintendo themselves have released these piranha plant slippers inspired from the original NES Mario Brothers games.
Source:
Nintendo Life
35. This U-Shaped Dish Scrubber
Anyone who washes the dishes in their house can tell you what a pain in the ass it is to wash the silverware and knives. Now, though, it can be easier than ever with this simple but cleverly designed u-shaped dish brush. You can easily fit any utensil, knife, or piece of cutlery between the two sides of bristles to get a nice clean with minimum effort.
36. “These Caffeinated Mints”
There are thousands of non-coffee drinkers that could greatly benefit from a little caffeine in their day. Sure, you could drink tea, but what if you’re not big on that, either? Enter caffeinated mints, where you can refresh your energy and your breath at the same time!
Source:
Reddit/Certesis
37. This Touch-And-Play Modular Light Bulb
Bring a little variety into your lighting situation with these touch-sensitive LED modular light bulbs. They are made of triangular shaped light panels that clip together in any number of ways. You can literally build the light that you want and transform them for parties, intimate dates, photography sessions, or whatever else you can think of!
38. “The Tail Lights On The 2019 Mini Cooper Are Patterned After The Flag Of The United Kingdom”
This designer was inspired by patriotism to his country. Designing the tail light pattern of the 2019 Mini Cooper to replicate the pattern on the national flag was brilliant, to say the least. Just that simple twist of design added a certain class and stature to the coop that just really wasn’t there before.
Source:
Pixabay
39. This Foldable Staircase That Collapses To Save You Space
More and more people are opting to live in tiny homes and small spaces. This has created its own industry of tiny home furniture and space-saving designs. That’s why this collapsing staircase design definitely deserves an award. Now you have easy access to lower and upper spaces that isn’t permanently in the way. Really, they’d be great in any house!
40. “This Umbrella Holder That Looks Like An Umbrella”
This ingenious designer came up with an adorable way to blend function with style. Shaping the frame to look like a loosely folded up umbrella, the “folds” in the umbrella frame create the perfect placeholders for umbrellas to sit. A charming solution to storing an oddly shaped item.
Source:
Reddit/psychololly
41. The Secret Message Hidden On This Ramen Container
Some of the best designs exist simply to inspire. This designer does just that as he has created a covert way to show gratitude to product consumers that choose to properly recycle their waste. It’s also a brilliant marketing scheme, as who wouldn’t want to stick with the brand that thanks them every time they act on their values?
Source:
Reddit/pixelfetish
42. This Electrical Plug Designed With Max Utility In Mind
Everyone knows the painful frustration of having two outlets and only being able to use one of them at a time. Annoyingly, A LOT of plugs will block access to the one above or beneath it, forcing you to choose to power one device over another. This awesome plug, though, has been specifically designed to leave plenty of space to make use of that other plug as well.
Source:
Reddit/Joseph_Best_JoJo
These are just a small handful of recent designs that have made life a much more pleasant and convenient affair.
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