‘Ugly Design’ Instagram Is Full Of Things To Make You Laugh And Cringe And Here’s 35 Of The Best Pics From It
InterviewPrepare to feast your eyes on the crème de la crème of ugly designs that are so cringy that they’re good. Well, almost. The Ugly Design Instagram page has over 572k followers who wait for the newest posts, curated by Swiss founders Jonas Nyffenegger and Sébastien Mathys.
We’ve collected some of the ugliest designs you’ve probably seen all week (and all month, we’re hoping), so scroll down, upvote your fave pics, and let us know in the comments which of these designs left the biggest impression on you.
The founders of the IG account told Bored Panda that they believe they found so much success over the years because of the contrast between their posts and the many pictures on Instagram that are “norm-perfect.” Read on for the full interview!
More info: Instagram | Tumblr | Ugly.Design
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I already see him with the ears. They just there. When he pauses his speech, I know it's rare, I expect a jackass bark.
Load More Replies...Me, too! I would definitely judge a date's sense of humor/degree of egotism on how they handle this seating arrangement
Load More Replies...There's a restaurant in Phoenix where all the bar stools are the hind ends of African safari-type animals. I forget the name. Great food, though.
He knows how ridiculous it looks, yet can't say anything.
Load More Replies...And over here we have the time-out area for managers who need their feet put to the fire to actually get something done.
"Lookin' for some hot stuff, baby this evenin' I need some hot stuff, baby tonight I want some hot stuff, baby this evenin' Gotta have some hot stuff Gotta have some love tonight"
Thanks. Now that's going to be in my head alllllll day. :-)
Load More Replies...I'm pretty sure this is just a little snake that wrapped himself around a ponytail. Snakes love getting all tangled up in hair.
I agree. The head just looks too real, also the way the tail is pressed against the hair.
Load More Replies...That's not ugly, it's awesome! I imagine you'd get some double-takes as well.
If you ever want to cosplay or Larp as a witch, this would be perfect.
“When seeing an ugly design rather than perfect aesthetics (as defined in the 21st century)—scrollers takes notice. Also, @Uglydesign never gets predictable—that is key to maintain and grow followers in our opinion.”
According to the founders, what keeps them inspired to keep on posting ugly designs is that they enjoy the unexpected. “We find it crazy that this theme can still surprise us and make us laugh so much after having dug into it for so long,” the said, adding that they feel that ugly designs feel like a bottomless, never-ending pit.
“We are posting various topics under the theme of ugly design, from maximalism to design fails, covering everything from luxurious furniture, jewelry, fashion, nail art, architecture, to upcycling… And except for some designs fail, we believe it is an incredible source of inspiration and joy,” they said, pointing out that ugly designs can be beautiful and inspirational, too.
If I remember correctly it's a work of art designed by an artist and executed by a brick mason. It's been around for ages.
Load More Replies...This is perfect for folks who like to drag their stuffed and covered indoor furniture outdoors.
Waaaaaaaaaait. Is that a chair made of bricks made to look comfy? Or a comfy chair made to look like it’s made of bricks
...and you haven't seen yet the giant bird that comes along with those eggs nid-1080x6...c4-png.jpg
That took the cake for weirdest and most wtf outfits even after seeing People of Walmart
Even out of curiosity would I EVER, EVER want to see the front view of this monstrosity!
do you mean you would NEVER ever want to see the front view? because you said would i ever ever want to see the front view
Load More Replies...If it looks this bad from the back, I shudder to think what it looks like from the front. And that’s not because of the woman wearing it—-she’s in really good shape and the, um, thing looks like it’s the proper size (though assigning it a size is really an exercise in futility).
...and then flip flops. smh. At least complete the look with stripper shoes.
I'm reminded of that destinys child song: nasty put some clothes on i told ya dont walk out your house without ur clothes on XD
The main mission of Ugly Design is to find unexpected, extraordinary, and strange design pieces and then share them with the world. Or, as the creators of the page put it, “minimalism is a dead end.”
One of the founders, Sébastien, who calls himself a “professional Googler,” is a partner at a small graphic design and type studio, as well as the team lead of a screenprint workshop. Meanwhile, Jonas studies product design at ECAL in Switzerland, is a “trash digger,” and works as a designer at a furniture company in Stockholm.
According to Sébastien, he considers ugly to be beautiful. “I would cry if there weren’t any ugly designers anymore, if all our surrounding objects and items looked the same,” he told Artsy.
And a massive pain to clean. I imagine mold and/or yeast would start to grow in the nostrils eventually.
Load More Replies...I got this as a gift! (it was Christmas time) So I gave it up in a white elephant exchange and ended up with it, I don't know where it is anymore but it was real gross
If you want to separate a yolk from the whites, just use a tablespoon! Idk about anybody else but mine does the job well
The best way for me is to use your bare hands
Load More Replies...I agree. Although I wouldn't want these in my room. Also, these toes look like they're trying to type on a keyboard....
Load More Replies...Aw I bet a lot of time went into knitting this. I give her an A for effort.
and an F for effectiveness, thats a super loose knit for a mask.
Load More Replies...If you wear a better mask underneath it, then it's still functional and might just brighten someone's day
Load More Replies...She's going stir crazy in lock down, and running out of things to crochet. All the grandkids are like: You've already made me 15 sweaters.
Load More Replies...I wouldn't have placed this in the "Ugly Designs" category. It's pretty interesting & unique, in my opinion.
He has a great point: imagine how boring life would be if everything was beautiful and there were no contrasts with ugly things. Even worse, there wouldn’t be anything that we could point at while shouting, “Oh my God, look at that! What is that?!” It’s an important part of being human and it’s not something that we’re willing to give up. That’s why Ugly Design is so beautiful.
The roots of Ugly Design stretch back to 2013 after Sébastien and Jonas met while studying design in Switzerland. They went to an international furniture fair in Milan where they saw a bathtub that was reimagined as a sofa. They then started a friendly competition to see who could come up with the ugliest design.
The idea behind Ugly Design was fully realized in 2015. After spending a year on Tumblr, it hopped on over to Instagram where it found lots of popularity and became fully-fledged while “disrupting people’s perfect feed.”
It looks like some insect eggs or something... and it must be very comfy...
Look! You're sweating so much that insects eggs just hatched under your armpits!
How creative, dear designer. Little lumps in your armpits, in a color that looks like ancient sweat stains. WTF were you snorting when the idea came to you?
Can the priest/pastor or whatever actually hear themselves over the beach sounds.
Came looking for a spongebob reference hehe I found it
Load More Replies...I can understand some weird designs for small and inexpensive items made just for fun, but this goes way to far.
The pastor is only 1/2" tall so they made him a custom pulpit out of a peanut shell.
How does one go about getting a shirt in the exact same print as the upholstery?
The transport company sells them as a joke. The ones in London and Berlin do it.
Load More Replies...That has to be a custom order, the fabric belongs to the Melbourne rail network and has the letters to spell "Connex" which was the company that ran the trains for a while. Metro now.
It is! I have this exact shirt :D It was sold as a joke item to avoid getting caught by ticket inspectors.
Load More Replies...I think so too. Her shirt is just green or blue.
Load More Replies...“We want to share an alternative aesthetic, something different from most Instagram design curators who more or less post the same content. The uglier the better,” the pair told i-D.
Jonas added: “In the beginning, we considered ugliness in design as a negative phenomenon and were trying to highlight designs that we were taught to think of as bad. Slowly, we started to see a lot of nuances in this ugly aesthetic and we no longer consider ugly as negative or pejorative.”
Who looked at a small one and went "tHiS wOuLd LoOk GrEaT aS a HaNdBaG"
When your grandparents are also secret agents hiding valued secret information
Would've made grandma taking her teeth out at the table a lot more interesting
Vampires may only go to the beach at night but why shouldn't they have their own floaties?
Eww who in their right mind would make this? Nope! Reminds me of those creepy a*s baby cakes! No!
Can I get one that melts red please, under a thin layer of white wax to hide it?
Yes you like it now, but try using the mouse when the carpet is flying all around the house.
Load More Replies...OMG Who even thought this was a good design it makes me feel sick agh
Maybe it was designed for sociopaths to repel everybody!
Load More Replies...Same and I’d rather see repurposed old tech as furniture over seeing it rotting for millennia on a rubbish dump.
Load More Replies...They’d keep falling off and if you’re eating hot food prepare to get burnt.
I will send this to a friend who is married to an oyster aquaculturist. But with her sense of fashion, i think that she will pass on it.
Someone actually thought, "Hey! You know what my fingertips need? Oysters on the half shell!"
Nike-Gucci bag. Sure. I can't wait for the Costco-Hermès shirt to come out.
Now we'll be able to tell who is the rich-kid douche without talking to them!
OMG YES I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THIS BAG ESPECIALLY FOR MYSELF PLEASE WRITE ME AT MY EMAIL, : missbryan1983@gmail.com I'M SO IN LOVE WITH THIS BAG
The scariest part of this picture is all the clashing color and pattern combinations.
For those who have large families, only one bathroom, and want to make sure the bathroom is available when someone really needs it, we give you the Creepshow Nightmare Bathroom!
At least it gives the motivation to brush your teeth every morning when you see this.....
it's just socks though, nothing embarrassing. most socks have funny designs like this
Load More Replies...It's more like they started kissing, but got their braces stuck together, and now are trapped in each other's mouths.
Load More Replies...If they forget to close the curtains you can see everything your neighbours are doing ... everything!
thats awful you could see straight into the flat opposite you and i doubt you could open windows bad planning that
It’s a....close...neighborhood. We don’t keep any secrets from each other. We. Just. Can’t.
Oh do you think this is bad.... My grandma named her dog Bernie after him and I inherited him so it's an awkward story to tell friends
Why would anyone make this? Why would anyone buy this? Why would anyone wear this?
I want to meet the person who did this and watch them eat a full 3-course meal with these
It's rose quartz which among those who believe is the power of stones consider it the stone of universal love. It supposedly restores trust and harmony in relationships, encouraging unconditional love. Rose Quartz purifies and opens the heart at all levels to promote love, self-love, friendship, deep inner healing and feelings of peace.
Load More Replies...Compared to some other objects on this list these stones don't look that bad.
Looks like you’re sitting on stew beef and eating off a sirloin steak. (I know it’s pink Himalayan salt.)
This one's actually neat, I can see how it can be laid on different angles to create different sitting/laying arrangements. It just looks awkward because she's using it as a computer chair.
Actually it looks awkward because of the way she is sitting in it.
Load More Replies...I feel weird looking at her sitting at the very edge instead of just pulling the chair forward and sitting comfortably.
I agree — it's not so much the weirdness of the chair as the way she's sitting in it. Not that it's not a weird chair. ;-)
Load More Replies...That's what it is. I couldn't see it til you mentioned it.
Load More Replies...Is it weird that I saw the outline of Darth Vader instead?
Load More Replies...Everyone with a functional uterus *has a nightmare*. Designer: "Hey, let's make this nightmare a skirt!!!!"
Just wrong! You dread it happening on accident. Why would you purposely want to wear a skirt that makes it look like your uterus sprang a leak?
Designed for women by a very straight woman-hater that is mentally ill
That’s an expensive head piece. You would be looking at about $300-$500 for that in Australia.
Most likely just the filter tubes that you can pack with Tobacco yourself, which is very cheap.
Load More Replies...I've seen this sold as an office organizer -- suctions onto a desk to organize cords or pens.
Eh, this one's not bad, it's an innocent color combo with our minds making associations where there are none intended.
I'd bet long odds (and big amounts) saying this is intentional!
Load More Replies...A reference to cigarettes. Looks painfully obvious to the rest of us :)
Load More Replies...haha i actually didnt get this for at least 5 minutes... i was just staring at the picture thinking, "whats going on here???? um..."
When your phone becomes your best friend and you need someone to hold your hand.
Yes. Because “they” say, “you people, always on your phones, are missing the human touch.”
Load More Replies...I hope their ringtone is "I want to hold your hand" by the Beatles.
Not a biblical person, but that is messed up in so many disrespectful ways
Quite tasteless. I know some people will say this is funny and just a joke. Its the kind of humour I can do without. I might have found it funny 20 years ago but I've grown up since then. The disregard for other people's faith, culture, sexuality, etc is on the rise but should never be acceptable.
You said the words that I couldn't think of. Thank you!
Load More Replies...Jesus has already cleansed enough of our sins. This is asking a bit much of the man
Lol, don't like the product, but the comment I do!
Load More Replies...Oh my gods I have never laughed so much I love your S O H
Load More Replies...These heels are from British high-end shoe designer, Charlotte Olympia. This is not one of her better designs, I'm afraid.
Internalized misogyny is strong with this one, it seems.
Load More Replies...As you zoom in on the "heels" at the bottom, you find that they're really just more butts, legs and heels. Inception shoes.
Actually. If you think about what yours feel like after a long bike ride, the glowing red balls are perfectly mimicking the real ones about 10" above these.
Only meant for people that are lacking them - why else would they need to prove they have a set.
This is quite common in Latin America, well, at least in Brazil it used to be.
This is somehow smart. The area outside the property line is usually communal property and the owner of this building managed to grab a piece of land that didn't belong to him/her.
Too cheap to stretch the fence out a little further to cover the driveway? Seems like this would be more expensive.
This is to accommodate the blind. The original buttons with the clear plastic ring around them work by sensing body heat but they're smooth. The extra ones to their left have raised and Braille numbers. They were glued on but many have fallen off or been stolen.
Only some floors below 10 are missing. Not all floors have a braille tag next to them. There is method to this madness, after you stare at it for a minute.
Six ran away because he saw seven ate nine.
Load More Replies...If you're standing in such a elevator you might get very confused and very angry at the designer.
This would not help those who bite their nails, these look too appetising.
You know when we used to put the bugles on our fingers and it looked like this?
I have the feeling these chairs are not approved by Louis Vuitton. They would be terribly expensive.
Is the seat with the zipper in the middle the equivalent of getting stuck in the middle (on the hump) in the back of an old station wagon?
Finally !! The boring bags from Louis Vuitton can serve as an inspiration for some fun chairs....I would gladly have two in my kitchen,just saying...
This is actually a good design, easier to pick the chair up when folding and moving it
I'm always reminded of Beavis and Burtthead where one of them has an idea but instead of a lightbulb it's a blinking, decrepit Christmas light, LOL.
Load More Replies...They cut off the top of the sign where it says "Not." Lol
Load More Replies...I had someone take my sideview mirror off 2 times in a parking lot (while parked) , and then someone side swiped my car on a faster main road (with my kids in the car 😢) and took off my driver sideview mirror, and since I got pushed off the road by this truck I side swiped a tree and the other one got ripped off... I have only been able to afford to replace one after the accident because they are not cheap, and they got broke in the span of 4 months. At this point I'm so damn tempted to do this, because I'm tired of people breaking my mirrors off 😂
Welp, they sure “ Rube Goldberged” themselves a dandy replacement side view mirror, didn’t they?
Would be an awesome score for some of those toilet paper hoarders.
Art is cool, even when it s a picnic bench that turns into a giant toilet paper roll.
That's Bono!!! for those who saw "more c**p" episode from South park knows what i'm talking about
Perfect for the busy nursing mother. Or for runners to avoid chafed nipples.
Damn it! I should not look at these while at work. Laughed so hard that others got distracted.
LOL, I wonder how it would feel like to rock yourself side to side, rather than back and forth. XD
My autistic cousin has always rocked side to side to comfort himself in stressful situations. This chair would be perfect for him!
Load More Replies...Nothing wrong with this, have a relaxing bath together without sharing dirty bath water.
The designer didn't know why people like to bath together. Maybe someone could explain it to him/her.
for the wife that washes her husband's underwear and knows he doesn't use enough tp
Tbh idk how I feel abt the pink and the blue. Unless you can change the color, in that case it's a pretty decent idea
Yeap, same reaction. The bag is the only thing I could accept to use.
Load More Replies...I thought we were looking at the hideous lizard skin outfit, then I see the close up of the purse in a purse. Either way, it's ALL dumb.
The designers knew what they were doing. They just wanted to see if anyone else would notice.
Load More Replies...It's like that episode of "Everybody Loves Raymond" where his mom takes a sculpture class and creates an abstract piece that looks like, well, ladyparts. He finally breaks it to her and she looks and says "Oh my God, I'm a lesbian!"
This is just a case of putting the wrong faucet on the wrong sink.
She wouldn't have to. The plug at the other end is small enough to go through the sleepers.
Load More Replies...You know how you sometimes accidentally yank on your earbud wire? Or drop your phone? Now, think about that happening when you’ve got this set up in place. Yeah, you got it.
This is actually a more comfortable way of wearing these headphones (without the rings though)
Seeing as the actual output part is upside down, it wouldn't sound at all good. It was probably just done for fun.
It's a ring made by an artist. Read an article about her. Her work is so crazy, ears as earrings and so on. I love it.
I believe the ring is by German artist Nadja Buttendorf: https://nadjabuttendorf.com/fingerring/
Load More Replies...I don't mean to be crude but it opens up all sorts of masturbatory possibilities.
We already had cake formed like other things. Now we get furniture formed like cake. The cakes looked interesting, the furniture does not.
Actually, this one is brilliant! These bags are cheap and superstrong (great for moving).
I am SO glad that I can't see the top of that monstrosity!
Load More Replies...Yeah I'd be holding my purse there too, and looking for a longer coat. Better yet, I wouldn't wear this abomination!
not to disturb y'all, but squatting poop position has some serious benefits xD so regardless of the toilet ugly colors, this design may be clever .
True, but I've never seen these integrated with the bowl before. Normally you have a step you can pull out underneath.
Load More Replies...In India there is a version that has no base like this, the foot position is on the level of ground with the "bowl" below ground level. Much safer. Widely used.
I first encountered these in Thailand. Not everyone is used to a sitting toilet, most of the world squats. This accommodates both needs. Notice that the plastic seat folds down and has a separate lid.
This was discovered in his tomb. For the afterlife. You know, in case he needed to...
Load More Replies...I didn't know that turkish toilets and western toilets had a child. Congratudefecations!
Just Tarzan across with the lamp, then order tea from room service.
Load More Replies...I remember how torturous it was to wear one as a girl/kid, for me, anyway. Don't want to sound mean, but kind of wish guys knew what it felt like xD
Men DID wear them. Again, the 70s was Fashion Hell. There was all kinds of weirdness.
Load More Replies...This is just so your shirt doesn't ride up and come untucked from your pants, they make these for women too. You're not supposed to see the bottom of the leotard. Plumbers need to make this part of their uniform.
Creepy without pants, but... yeah. As someone who can NEVER keep a shirt tucked in, I actually thought this was cool. For about a nanosecond... until I considered how it would pinch... not to mention the wedgie implications...
Load More Replies...Reminds me of an old Donkey cigarette dispenser I once had, press the ears and it poopped out a cigarette.
a friend of mine had this unicorn that you pressed its horn or something and it pooped out a jelly bean
Load More Replies...That person better not run a marathon with those fishes in there
These are called Botas tribaleras, and are associated with a specific genre of music in Mexico. They are typically worn with tongue planted firmly in cheek, but are quite common in some parts of the country, specifically for the men who are part of that music's dance troupes.
Botas picudas mexicanas (Mexican pointy boots) or Botas tribaleras (Trivial boots) are a style of pointed fashion boots made with elongated toes that are popular footwear for men in parts of Mexico. The boots are commonly worn in an ironic and comedic way by males involved in the 'música tribaleras' subculture. It is said that they originated in the city of Monterrey in the Mexican state of Nuevo León. The pointy boots have risen to popularity at the same time as "Trance music" and the boots have become a preferred footwear for the all-male troupes that dance to the electronic music.
And his shoes kept growing while he slept?
Load More Replies...Definitely unique, though I think they could have put more work into transforming the inside. And maybe tint the windows.
And paint everything black and turn the lights off.
Load More Replies...I bet that wakes you up at the CRACK of dawn on the full MOON.
Welp, you’d definitely know which suitcase is yours at Baggage Claim.
I've got long hair and this would bother me way more than just having my hair outside of my jacket like normal, it would restrict your ability to move your head much for one thing
Bringing in the military band to ensure your kids participate in the dance program...
Actually...Crocs made some high heels. (see my comment about the ugly high heels, if i find high heels for tiny feet i buy it even it's not exactly my taste). 20200724_1...9b2494.jpg
That might be said of many forms of body modification.
Load More Replies...I'm reminded of that guy who got tattooed to look like a tiger - I think he had implants like this.
A cool design but it wouldn't take long to fall apart if worn normally.
I have some many of these useless Apple cords lying around my flat. I could probably make my own pair of shoes at this rate.
Can you walk on water with these or only hop on water with the Jesus one.
Diabolistic flip-flops, english for thongs, won't say what thong is english for. How long before I say that again. Diabolistic flip-flop, started to mean something else.
The anticlerical filpflops, to step on religion? This would go with the crucifix to clean toilets, seen on another post.
Actually I can see the practical side of this...as a woman. Just not sure why these tampons aren't in a plastic wrapper though...
I could have used this in the 90’s, would have been so much quicker and easier instead of doing bit by bit with the end of a comb.
Oh yeah !! I forgot I used to do this as a kid well I had my mom do it. Neat idea.
Load More Replies...There's no way this works. This looks more like those useless inventions you see here on Bored Panda.
Why do people want to part their hair in ways their hair doesn't naturally part?
Umm. Not sure if it's cool or a waste. I have heard of framing 1St dollar ever made, butt this is a little s****y.
Great. A constant reminder of how I'm continually flushing money down the drain.
Maybe they should install them at Taco Bell for that reason alone...
Load More Replies...if ur rich and got nothing to do with ur money, make it into a toilet seat!
A lot of what’s on here, including these, would make great components of Halloween costumes.
These shoes hurt in so many places. Scraped Achilles is the least of it.
Seen this before and comments then pointed out that it's an exhibit/art piece. Not meant for actual use ;)
Imagine if it was real and a drunk person needed to go
Load More Replies...Imagine you have eaten the "special" mushrooms! My head spins just writing that.
On the plus side, when you pass out drunk, at least it's comfortable, no matter where you lie.
So true! "It's hard to be a s**t when all the guys are cockblocking themselves"
Load More Replies...Car dealership? OK. Man cave office? Sure, as long as the door stays closed when we have company. Normal office? WTF you snortin’, boss?
Confederate battle flag hat and Soviet T-shirt. This guy's advertising all the failed nations.
Kid in back is thinking: Stop it, dad, you're embarrassing me.
Load More Replies...Son, you got a panty on your face. (Recognize that line, even though I changed it up a bit?)
Are those Janco Jeans with CD Holders? And what the hell is up with those shoes?
What's worse pants or shoes? Honestly the shoes lol those pants would have been the s**t for amateur DJs in 90s
I had a very fat friend who got a double seat like this for her office because she could not fit in a normal one.
not rare in France, you don't need a driving license for this kind of cars and some owners do some "tuning"
Pas de Calais/Picardie is our Alabama^^ Instead of "hauts de france" it should be "Alabama français". I grown up in the french Alabama^^
Load More Replies...I'd been pissed if I bought "thinking" Versace and got this. Let's hope they knew it was fake or a gag
For when you want to get a drink of water and then knock yourself unconscious...
I don't think it's a water fountain, looks like a sink.
Load More Replies...Not cool. Those fish will die in there because there's no oxygen source, for one. Other reasons available on request.
Not good at all she is killing 6 fish just for own warped sense of fashion.
Fit only for Halloween. And that better be fake fish and not real ones in there, or I’d be cutting the bags open and transferring the fish to a safer container!!
Most of these are works of art, a joke, or intentionally weird. Whether they succeed is debatable but ugliness is in the eye of the beholder.
Most items on this list could be commented with three words: What. The. Hell?
Most if this is really impressive, it's just bad taste. Grade A execution of horribly cursed objects.
Most of these are works of art, a joke, or intentionally weird. Whether they succeed is debatable but ugliness is in the eye of the beholder.
Most items on this list could be commented with three words: What. The. Hell?
Most if this is really impressive, it's just bad taste. Grade A execution of horribly cursed objects.
