Being ‘born’ with bad taste, growing up aesthetically challenged creates a lot of problems: you think you’re doing fine, but you’re actually creating super crappy designs that end up scaring half the internet. Grab the holy water and repeat Dieter Rams’ 10 Principles for Good Design, Pandas, because we’re about to cross the Rubicon into the Wastelands of Crappy Design.
We’re featuring the most awful posts from these three design-oriented subreddits over here, here, and here, to prove to you that just because you can make something doesn’t necessarily mean that you should. Creativity, editing, feedback, having an understanding of how function vs. form works—these are all needed to satisfy your customer. And it’s exactly what you won’t find in this list.
From horrible signs and furniture to funky yet confusing products, we’ve got a bit of everything for everyone. This is the perfect chance to prove that you’ve got great taste, so remember to upvote the pics you hate the most. And tell us in the comments which of these horrendous designs you wouldn’t come near even with a ten-foot pole.
This post may include affiliate links.
Ordered This Badge For My Girlfriend, Which Was Made From My Proposal Photo To Her. Didn't Quite Go As Expected...
Thats depressing I would either burn it or, give it to her when i want kids.
Well, she's got something to work with at least ;) Congratulations on your marriage by the way!
Interior design expert Ariane Sherine, the editor at These Three Rooms, was kind enough to answer Bored Panda's questions about good taste, design, and aesthetics.
"Taste is a very subjective thing. For instance, I don't like bright or dark colors on walls, but plenty of people love the maximalist look," she shared that it's important to consider what each person thinks, individually.
"The only true way to ascertain whether a design is going to be a commercial success is to make it available for sale, market it widely, and see how many people buy it. But success is different to taste. Personally, I think taste is all about understatement, minimalism, and neutral decor. But again, that's only my personal opinion!"
Virgin Mary
OMG! Vagina Mary, I'm dying! Totally thought the same thing! Mary in the bathtub has nothing on that!
Load More Replies...Vagina art used to be a very common religious art motif. A symbol of birth and rebirth. Before our Victorian sensibilities wouldn't allow for it.
Well, well, it's enough to make this lesbian go back to the Catholic Church!
Well, personally I think it's a big improvement on the blue robe they used to put her in XD
This Deeply Satisfied My Inner 13-Year-Old Not Gonna Lie
That plant is not just wilted, it's extra crispy! Poor thing.
Load More Replies...Did the ART ROOM at everyone’s school constantly have an F sharpied at the front of it or just mine?
I want such a space!! Oh, no, wait.... I already have such a space, home!!! And everywhere I go, I just like to share XD
The design expert shared her thoughts about the line between what's tasteful and tacky. "This will differ for each person, but for many people, loud and garish colors used liberally in the home would signify a lack of taste. Then again, I can think of designers who have based their entire career around the use of color and loud prints," she pointed out that things aren't as clear-cut as some might think.
"So there's no hard and fast rule," she said, adding that there are examples of avant-garde design becoming popular later on. That means that some design decisions really are ahead of their time (and some might have their time in the spotlight in the future! Maybe!).
According to Ariane, from These Three Rooms, it's important to consider not just taste and aesthetics when looking at furniture, but functionality, as well. "Does the furniture function as it should? Is it likely to collapse or break easily? If seating, is it comfortable? I mean, my idea of aesthetic hell would be a bright purple inflatable sofa with lime green spots, but your mileage may vary! The question of comfort and function is a less subjective one."
Ho Ho Ho!
Oh. Um. Well. Thanks for re-invititing some intrusive thoughts 😳
i- i can’t tell which one is worse..
Load More Replies...Save Money Using The Same Guy
If Only There Was A Cheaper, Aesthetically Pleasing, More Natural Way To Get Shade
Probably the tree roots were causing damage underground. Unless they grind the stumps all the way to the roots, the trees will probably grow back
Unfortunately, trees can get diseases and insect infestations that weaken them, causing them to abruptly fall. Many places opt to remove the unhealthy ones before someone gets hurt or killed. Although, they usually take the whole tree, roots and all.
Load More Replies...Honestly the trees could have died off after growing to big or have been killed off because they were destroying the foundations of the wall behind it. Really, be hesitant to just put any tree where you'd like to have shade in the future. A lot of people underestimate how big most true trees actually can get if you let them and before you know 20 years later the thing got out of control, destroyed the rest of your garden with it's shade and the absorbing of water, while having fragile branches over the roof of your house and bothering the neighbour in similar ways.
Yes! No one seems to research the tree before planting. Look it up! It's not hard!
Load More Replies...The three subreddits we’re featuring today are clearly inspired by the ridiculously popular r/CrappyDesign sub, an online community of over 3 million people. It’s somewhat ironic that someone copies what a more popular community does when the topic is all about bad design decisions… some of which are due to others copying good designers, poorly.
"Hello, Police? I'd Like To Report Indecent Exposure!"
You can wear this shirt on your first date only as long as you won't be called out for false advertising later
How handy! If friend or partner asks him to hold their bag/jacket, he has a coat hook ready!
He had to have known that would happen. How do you look at that and not realize?
Some people just don't notice things until it's too late
Load More Replies...Made In China
Are you sure? I'll bet it's the same factory where those MAGA shirts were from.
Yeah, there's supposed to be another red stripe at the bottom
Load More Replies...I actually worked for a guy that bragged about his products being USA made. Not one of them was. Not a single one.
Stuff is often made in China because of the very loose labor laws, allowing companies to pay their workers so little money, they might as well be slaves
I hope the people who boxed this understood English so they all got a good laugh at these literal a*****e rejects over here.
Nightmare Fuel
Tbh I’d freak out if my dog smiled like that with those unrealistic teeth!
Yeah this is part of their advertising. The commercials put the same smiles to help emphasize the products use; they're to help with clean health teeth
Reminds me of the video of a dog who got ahold of its owners false teeth and the owner was laughing at his dog's antics and him laughing caused me to laugh my head off. And the dog in the video is a Yorkshire terrier, just like the dog on the box!
Good design, according to Dieter Rams, is innovative, aesthetic, and makes a product useful. What’s more, the product has to be understandable, unobtrusive, honest, long-lasting and is thorough down to the last detail. Finally, good design means that the item is environmentally friendly and actually involves as little design as possible. If you use that as a framework, you quickly realize that most—if not all—of the pictures in this list fail with flying colors.
Realistic Human Head Motorcycle Helmet
Imagine the shock of the ems team arriving on a accident site...
Load More Replies...They sell versions of all skin tones! Also, watermelon and other food-related versions!
Load More Replies...You Liar
Love him. Love you for loving him And people me for loving you for loving him And we love each other.....
Load More Replies..."Fresh" bread in Sweden is frozen when its on its way to the store...it still say fresh. It is still called fresh and is baked same day, they did froze them because te life of the bread is longer when it defrost on the shelf. Its often cold in the morning when you buy the bread, happens all the time. Might be a similar thing with this?
It's not the freezing part that's the issue. It's the fact that one part of the tag says "fresh, never frozen" and another part says "previously frozen". The conflicting message creates in issue called false advertising that's illegal in most places in the US 🙂
Load More Replies...Actually formerly frozen is better than never frozen. Freezing kills off parasitic worms that are in many fish, including Salmon..
Our Values
I love it!!! Looks like another accomplished project for HR/PR team. Now let them have all the bonusses that operations were suppose to receive
Tim Antoniuk, from the University of Alberta, explained to Bored Panda during an earlier interview that people can intuitively tell if something is designed well or poorly. First impressions really do matter in the world of design.
The design studies expert told us that he personally believes Rams does a great job of determining what makes good design good. At the same time, Antoniuk feels that Rams may not have been able to foresee how the world would change in the future.
Giving "Heat Stroke" A New Meaning
Only after the temperature rises and falls and rises and falls
Load More Replies...Pets should not be left in cars at all when it's even remotely warm. A temperature outside of 20C / 68F will rise up to 40C / 104 within half an hour. I've seen a dog die of heatstroke once, believe me ... I'll brake that window without even giving it a third thought. People are so ignorant sometimes.
This is F° right? If not we are all dead (in F° at the top, it’s still very hot)
Has it ever been 130 degrees F on earth?
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Load More Replies...Let's Play Hangman
That is what happened to the last person who walked pass our store and didn’t buy our phone, ridiculous.
Misleading Paperclip
Anyone want to guess what I just added to my Amazon shopping cart? 🤣 just trying to justify spending $9 for 100 clips
That's a fully justifiable purchase. I'm about to go order some as well. Lol.
Load More Replies...I don’t think this was a design fail, I think it was meant to be this way…
uhh, I think it's a user fail. If they clipped it the other way, with this U shape in back, then most of the bone would be visible.
"That said, given the speed of change that we encounter today in our lives in the digital environment that we live in, I believe that some great design is not necessarily timeless. One example is seen in Interface Design, Ux Design, and in-service design. As new layers get added into our lives, things naturally have an evolutionary cycle,” Antoniuk shared his thoughts with Bored Panda.
The Holes Inside My Chili Flake Pot Are Not Big Enough For Any Of The Pieces To Fit Through
Had the same thing happen to me, just got my drill out to make them bigger... I'm just that way, LOL!
I've had BAY LEAVES in the same kind of container. That are meant to be used whole. WTF??
Load More Replies...AND that is why I have a couple spare-lids in different-sizes in the back of a kitchen drawer.
The design of the container is fine. However, someone used the wrong container for the flakes.
If only there was a another opening on the lid to get large quantities or items out.
Eat Kids
Who Wants An Ice Cream ?
This is absolutely horrifying and I need one for my front yard please
Therapist: the ice-cream monster isn't real. It can't hurt you. - Ice-cream monster:
“This is different from furniture which naturally can be more ubiquitous and designed to fit the human body. There is a great deal of fuzziness in this discussion but I do believe that the essence of this idea is true.”
The expert feels that good and bad product design definitely exists. However, we all have personal preferences, too. This added layer of subjectivity creates a gray area between quality products and those that lack quality.
I Was Driving With My Mom And Saw This Sign And I Screamed “Tit’s Pizza”. She Didn’t Like That
Well, still better than " Mitchel's whores " ( Google it and be amazed at how hilarious a fail can be )
Whenever I go to my mom’s house, we pass a Davanni’s pizza and hot hoagies, but something is in the way of the t so it’s Davanni’s pizza and ho hoagies. Ho Ho Hoagie!
To be fair “Tito’s Pizza” isn’t much better, considering who Tito fought against.
Watch That First Step
Looks like the sort of underground toilet facilities you get at tropical hotels. Without the lip, then flood water from the tropical rains would form a river down those steps.
Surely just make a ramp then so you don't die lol
Load More Replies...there's a normal way to go down stair, and then there's this way to go down stair
Oh God I saw this in a building once. I believe it's like that to prevent stuff from rolling down the stairs so people don't trip on it but I don't think they thought about tripping to get to the stairs 🤦
Oh Shoot!
I'm guessing based on the crab that it's meant to be the Cancer zodiac sign
Load More Replies...to e fair if someone gave me this when i found out about my cancer {now cancer free} I would have loved it, it's just the right since of dark humor, but this is more for those born in july lol
Also a cancer survivor and would have LOVED this card.
Load More Replies...Allegedly we can also refer to ourselves as "moonchild" . . . but somehow that seems worse.
Load More Replies..."The gray area comes in when people start to talk about taste and about degrees of aesthetic. I may love the design of Bauhaus furniture, for example, while somebody may feel that it is too cold and void of personality,” he said.
“Not unlike great art, I believe that much of what came from this era is ‘great design,’ in part because it represents an era and a philosophy. When we start to mix in discussions of taste and preference, that is where the gray areas of good and bad design get blurred,” Antoniuk noted why there’s some confusion as to whether or not some design decisions are good or bad.
Buzz Is Very Happy To See You
His facial expression "It aint' gunna suck itself...." You know... cuz there's Kool Aid inside and a person has to be there to be able to derive the sustenance within... yea that's what I meant...
Perfect Smile
Poor model, she could finally get her face seen everywhere, and then this.... Those 5 minutes of fame turned into something completely different...
Happy Independence Day America!
Oh, we see them and are just as bewildered and disgusted as the rest of the world.
Load More Replies...I’m not American but the constant bashing of America and Americans is getting boring.
The expert told Bored Panda that people can “feel” and sense good design, intuitively. "Quite often, this relates to ergonomics and the usability or functionality of the products and services and systems. Having said that, I think far too many people expect poor design that doesn’t really work well," he said.
"For me, great design is what Dieter [Rams] talks about—it is also intuitive, it is deeply sympathetic and empathetic to the user at all levels, and at some level, it is emotional. It is a catalyst for giving us feelings."
Two Sinks, One Throne
The toilet placement here is the only thing weird. The sinks are perfectly acceptable.
I don’t see anything wrong sure the toilet is in a weird place but I like it
This Van From Facebook
Laughing like a fool in front of my store during break 😄
Load More Replies...Its a " shortbus " lolol ( you may not know it yet but this joke is hilarious )
Literally The First Thing You See When You Enter The House
Have fun tripping on that step every time you go to the bathroom at night.
So, Pandas, which of these designs did you think were the worst of the bunch? Were there any that you actually liked and would be happy to have at home? Why do you personally think it's so hard for designers to notice their mistakes? Share your thoughts in the comments!
The Clock At My Work. Not How Roman Numerals Work
Romans preferred IIII over IV as the latter was also a reference to Jupiter and they didn't want to inappropriately use Jupiter's name.
Clock is transitioning from Roman to Arabic numbers right before our eyes!
I'm surprised how many people don't know Roman numerals or that they are letters representing numbers. When I need to get a money order for rent, the mgmt I have to make it out to has Roman numerals in the name. When I say Roman number II the clerk just looks at the keyboard and says there is no II, and then I have to explain that it's 2 'I's. One clerk refused to learn and do it right, said "I don't know what that is, you'll just have to accept 2." Rude. I'm not trying to be a snob or pretentious about it, I just don't want to risk any problems when it comes to my rent. Some clerks have been great applied this newfound facto the next time they serve me. But some people just refuse to learn.
What era are the people you get these money orders from that they have to use Roman numerals? What era did this happen in? Isn't there a way to switch characters and numbers to a different format in Microsoft Word? Greek for example? Surely there is some word processing function that could switch the numbers to Roman Numerals
Load More Replies...Aside from the 4 being the wrong numeral (IV), what the heck was the designer thinking with this? Couldn't be bothered to use the other numerals?
Clocks often use IIII as it aesthetically balances out the VIII on the other side.
Load More Replies...Actually, IIII was an archaic form of the numeral, if I recall correctly. I seem to remember seeing it in old inscriptions somewhere (I was born in Rome, I can read those numerals very well, even movie dates). Still, on clock faces you use IV. Period.
Cr**per Sofa
My sister has always said since she was a kid she wanted a toilet sofa
Yes it certainly did feature prominently in Mike Judge’s “Idiocracy” movie. Good catch!
Load More Replies...Oh No
I mean , this isn't a design fail is it? No one designed this, this is just a DIY disaster
It would look slightly less bad if they actually put a showerhead on it...
Introducing the water saving shower! Minimum height requirement for users applicable.
This is what Kramer should have done while he was doing dishes in his shower
Depending on where you live, this might even get the upgrade ;)
I Present My Apartments 1/3 Outlet
Just... why? You figure once they see it doesn't really is how it's supposed to be, they solve the problem first... nope.
it probably used to be a bigger apartment they split up to fit more people😬
Load More Replies...This is totally a DIY failure. For anyone in this type of situations, they sell blank face plates everywhere! Just remove the old outlet properly and install the blank face plate.
I Don't Think This Is The Best Place For A Basket
Rooftop Toilets
In this house, you get a view, others also get a view. How thoughtful.
people all over the world, come here, to see you pee pee (Remix of O'Jays Love Train
Burger King's Drive Thru Sign
i don't see anything wrong with this one lol. you go in one end of the drive thru and out the other. the start would say "no exit entry only" and this one is "no entry exit only"
but which one is which? 😅 You can read top row then bottom row, or left side then right side.
Load More Replies...Or...no exit. Entry only. Read standard right to left. Now what?
Load More Replies...Not going on with this one. The horizontal space is clear enough to understand. You're forcing it, BP.
Ya, this one isnt a fail. Just telling you this is not the way to go thru the drive thru. try the other side
Found This At My Local Store
Absolutly 100%
Getting Two For The Price Of One
It probably is, the real deal would not be displayed like that.
Load More Replies...My Cursed Pikachu Doll
Someone Please Explain The Purpose Of The Wiper?
Not a design fail, this van has either had the window wrapped and now looks like it's not there. Or the van has an option for a window and the company makes one version of door (with wiper ) for cost saving purposes.
Many of these windows are just fitted with a one-way screen so that you can't see in but they cam see through just fine.
Load More Replies...Yea, this is like those Police mirrors in the movies, form outside in you see white, but from ínside out its " transparent ", it hás a slight pigmentation but you can see out.
The vans at our job are closed in the back, but still have an internal rear view mirror.
What I want to know is what the driver was hoping to accomplish by turning the wiper on.
The windows are probably pigmented so you can see through from the inside.
Load More Replies...Welcome Hnme
Of course the Viking sees a burning building!
Load More Replies...I see it as "hame" which gives my Scottish accent checks out as totally accurate
My brain kept flipping between Disneyland and St Basil’s in Red Square
Load More Replies...The concept of bad design resonates strongly across both of these pieces. As we explore a plethora of design mishaps, it becomes evident that many products suffer due to poorly thought-out creation processes.
If you're keen on further dissecting what exactly makes some designs so ineffective, consider looking into the discourse surrounding design mistakes that seem disconnected from the user's needs.
This Sign
If only the one checking the print before printing it would have any idea of the metric system XD
Great it can fit 6 Eiffel towers in there and still have room left!
Poop Magazine
And to think I used to be a reporter there…almost embarrassed to admit it these days!!! (But at least there was a better mix of real people stories and the celeb snoozapaloozas the mag deemed soooo important.
I Don’t Think It Will Fit
What do you do? Do you get a four by one or place it down? And if so, where? 😵💫
Ah Yes The Gate Of Death
Ok, Do I Have To Stop Twice Or...? Wtf Portland
This is bc the pole was potentially blocking the view, but they still want people to pull up to the intersection instead of just going from that far back. this I kinda understand... can't count on good driving.
End up with a 'parking by a hydrant' ticket when you stop at the second sign 😅
Well... hopefully you don't park at a stop sign in front of a hydrant, and then get out of your car.... that's different than stopping at a stop sign for right of way, and continuing on.
Load More Replies...I Can Smell This Pic
Well, it wouldn't leave a stain, the carpet would mask it!
Load More Replies...How Am I Supposed To Sell A Property With A Toilet Like This
Sell it to the person who has always dreamed of ascending to the throne.
Just Why
This Is So Useless
Government at its finest. And, I bet someone is paid to go out and lock it at dusk.
It will be less useless when the bushes fill-in a little bit.
Load More Replies...Crosswalk On My Street
Because you have to wait on the grass instead of the designated area in between.
Less Is More... Literally
I Found That In One Of Polish Restaurants
This Button At My School
"Oh. A sign lit up saying 'please do not push this button again'."
Load More Replies...Green On Green, Why Not
Easigass. The r in grass blends in with the, well, the grass.
Load More Replies...I'm more confused by why there's grass on the car and inside the office building.
I was trying to figure out what this picture actually was
Load More Replies...These Came With A Package Of New Years Decorations
Gooby. It's Gumby acktuallly, and the first episode aired in 1957. So inaccurate. 🤓
Soo... My Dad Told Me That He Finished Our Gate Today
The Railing In Front Of Art Gallery
The Push/Pull Sign At This Sushi Restaurant
This Guy Made My Sister Like Harry Potter
Help
Call Sfcurity!!!
So Yea This Is Something
An Original Arrangement Of Benches
Lol, on my way to the hospital I come along a street with benches asking the road that have their backs to the road (for safety, obviously) but facing.... walls and weeds. And not just a few benches, nope, at least 30 XD
Why
Often these are put down to keep motor vehicles away from pedestrian areas. Not sure about this though.
48 Hours= 3 Days Apparently
Concrete Clock
They're pretty cool, you just have to know where the numbers are and try not to drop it on your head when you move it. Changing the time for daylight savings (if you do that) might be the only problem....
just don't hang it on the wall above your bed. actually just don't hang it on the wall. put it on the floor. or in the basement....
The Worst Thing Is It’s In Bathroom That’s After Renovation
Need to enter bathroom to turn on lamp. Just need an effort to relocate the button..
No clue what I'm looking at here. Can't even tell if that's the wall or the floor..
If you wanna see another one , look up "Wasilla high school statue" it's a statue someone designed at the local high school down the street from my house and it got SO much controversy... you'll see why lol
That's not the one of the priest giving bread to a small boy?
Load More Replies...Thanos was scared of you, presumably you have blackmail photos.
Load More Replies...If you wanna see another one , look up "Wasilla high school statue" it's a statue someone designed at the local high school down the street from my house and it got SO much controversy... you'll see why lol
That's not the one of the priest giving bread to a small boy?
Load More Replies...Thanos was scared of you, presumably you have blackmail photos.
Load More Replies...
