These Hilarious Design Fails Will Make You Wonder What On Earth The Designers Were Thinking
From mind-boggling bathrooms to stairs that seem designed by Picasso, everyday life is full of oddities that make us scratch our heads. Get ready to double-take as we explore 30 hilarious, baffling, and sometimes ingenious design decisions you never knew existed—all served with a generous side of amusement.
“Toilet door signs in a bar in Girona, Spain. There's no real way of knowing what gender each rock signifies - I chose wrong”
So, is it the round rock or the long rock? Rock, paper, confusion. I had a 50/50 chance and, naturally, I lost. I bet even the locals just cross their fingers and pick a door. Sometimes you need a flowchart just to use the toilet.
“Putting this on arthritis cream is such a cruel joke”
Of all the lids to make tough to open, arthritis cream really shouldn’t top the list. The packaging is mocking us with every twist. Sometimes it feels like manufacturers are playing practical jokes. ‘Lift ‘n Peel’—sure, just not with these hands.
“God Bless America, Comrade”
The words say liberty, the colors say ‘comrade’. I’ve never seen a more confused patriotic napkin in my life. Is this the American Dream or a lesson in typography gone wild? Either way, it’s good for a laugh at any picnic.
“This signs design makes it almost indecipherable”
I’m trying my best, but what does that sign even say? These letters are playing hide-and-seek in the most unhelpful way. Maybe it’s a code I’m supposed to crack, but right now I’d get lost just looking for the front door.
“Which Way to the Men's Room?”
First, a left; then a right; or maybe straight ahead? This restroom sign feels like a choose-your-own-adventure I didn’t ask for. Honestly, at this point, I’m just hoping to end up in the right bathroom without being too embarrassed.
“What a bathroom”
I don’t know whether to marvel at the creativity or just stand there in pure confusion. Bathrooms with open views are for the bold only! A touch of spa or a dash of awkward? Either way, privacy definitely took a long vacation here.
“Guess I’m paying for the upstairs neighbors heating”
When your living room literally doubles as your neighbor’s heating system, you know you’re in a unique apartment. Ceiling radiators are an unexpected twist! Guess this is one way to perfect ‘cozy vibes’ for everyone in the building, whether you like it or not.
“A pedestrian friendly feature in india to give them more leg strength & workout ”
Is this a crosswalk or the ultimate leg day challenge? Getting to the other side might require a personal trainer. Some cities just want you to feel the burn before you even get to work. Watch out—extreme curb alert ahead!
“In this bus I can't rest my arm without hitting the stop button. (3 hours bus ride)”
Every bus ride is a gamble—will I accidentally press the stop button before my stop again? Armrests shouldn’t come with consequences! I’ll just awkwardly hover my elbow for the next three hours. Who needs comfort anyway?
“Football field tablecloth that does not look like a football field”
Field goals? Touchdowns? This tablecloth says ‘just try to keep score!’ Instead of yards, I see a puzzle. Game night just got a quirky twist—good luck explaining to guests where the end zone actually is.
“So many questions!! These candles would burn 2 minutes maybe? Why is blueberry yellow? And what scent is "poison" ?! Lol!!”
Nothing like a candle that smells like ‘poison’ to spice up your home. Also, blueberry that looks completely yellow? These scents are honestly an adventure in themselves. I wonder how long each burns—about as long as my curiosity lasts!
“Coeeee corner”
Nothing beats an extra E or two in your morning coffee. This café’s sign is just brimming with enthusiasm—too much enthusiasm, maybe? I’ll never spell coffee the same way again. Extra E means extra energy, right?
“I still can’t figure out what this place is called or what it is”
The sign is bold, the name… completely lost on me. I could stare at it all day and still not know what’s going on here. Mystery is part of the branding, apparently. I’m just hoping they serve food and not riddles.
“I thought it was one piece.. guess not guess the plastic was structural. ”
That moment when your BBQ tongs reveal they’re actually just two pieces pretending to be one. Plastic: 1, expectation: 0. I guess durability was just wishful thinking. At least now I have barbecue chopsticks?
“Fridge has buttons that you rarely use but requires you to hit same button 3 times to switch between ice and water. ”
My fridge: making hydration a scavenger hunt since installation. Why does it take three presses just to switch from ice to water? Sometimes the coldest thing isn’t the ice, it’s the logic behind these controls.
“I give you the Tale of the Crooked Banister”
Even the banister has given up on being straight here. Life throws you curves, and apparently, so does this staircase. Honestly, credit for creativity—navigating these stairs is like solving a puzzle with every step. Good luck holding on!
“The bathroom in our hotel in Hvar where my husband and I got shellfish poisoning in Croatia. At one point the room service guy totally saw me pooping”
That’s one hotel experience I’ll never forget. Privacy? Let’s just say the cleaning staff knows more than they ever wanted to. Shellfish poisoning was nobody’s plan, but bonus points for sharing the bathroom drama with strangers.
“Duplicate lift buttons (one set is for emergency use)”
Two sets of elevator buttons for twice the confusion! Guess I’m pressing both and hoping for the best. One set for emergencies, one for regular journeys? If I get stuck, at least I have double the chances to escape!
“Ah yes, the triangular cylinder”
Next up on Geometry Gone Wild: behold the triangular cylinder—which is, apparently, a square. Math teachers everywhere are quietly weeping. Who knew shapes could have an existential crisis? At least the build-your-own kit is keeping things interesting.
“Here is a national parks calendar my grandma got me. There are no penguins in the Northern Hemisphere, especially not in Alaska. ”
Nothing says ‘Alaskan wildlife’ like a penguin colony that’s never been north of the equator. At least they picked a cute photo! Someone really needs to have a word with the calendar printer. It’s educational—just not on geography.
“What happened to Ryan?”
I’m not sure what happened to this kid, but this packaging got wild. Was the photo supposed to look like a funhouse mirror?
“This globe refuses to believe Syria and Cameroon exists”
If you’re Syria or Cameroon, sorry—this globe has other plans. Cartography takes a vacation and a few countries are left behind. Geography teachers, look away now. Accuracy was clearly optional in the making of this souvenir.
“This is a building where I have to deliver mail, and it always messes me up”
Mail delivery shouldn’t require advanced puzzle skills. Every trip to this building is like deciphering a secret code just to find the right door. I get lost every time, but maybe that’s just part of the challenge. If you live here, please send maps!
Devin Duke
