The Opposite Of Design Fails: 121 Of The Most Brilliant Design Ideas That People Have Ever Shared In This Online Group (New Pics)

Posted by admin on Jul 08, 2022

Some days it feels like the easiest way to go viral is to do something horribly. The internet loves poking fun at poorly designed stairs, terrible products, cake baking fails and certainly stupid things people have done. But every now and then, it might be nice to celebrate something that was actually done well. It may come as a surprise, but for every designer out there that you makes you question how they got their job in the first place, there is another one quietly creating masterpieces.

We found a subreddit dedicated to sharing “high quality images of interesting designs, including architectural, graphic, industrial, furniture & product design” and combed through their community to find some of our favorite pics. Enjoy this list of excellent designs that you might even deem “the opposite of crappy design”, and be sure to upvote the images that you find most satisfying and impressive. Then when you’ve finished this list, check out Bored Panda’s last publication on the same community right here.

#1 An Advertisement Using Pedestrians As Ticks On A Dog

Image credits: 2FANeedsRecoveryMode

There must be plenty of amazing designers out there, but for some reason, the worst ones tend to find their work circulating around the internet. So where are all of the skilled designers hiding? Sergey Krasotin, design director and co-founder of Humble Team, wrote a piece for Medium titled “Why is it so hard to hire a good designer — and how to get a great one” detailing how surprisingly difficult it can be to find designers that will blow your mind.

First, Sergey sets a baseline of what makes a “good designer”. He notes that having a good set of "hard skills" is a must for designers. “Great designers are able to apply the best methods and practices to any project, without having to reiterate over and over. That means using design sprints and customer journey maps when they’re needed, knowing how to do design research and building a prototype,” he writes.

#2 This Wooden Owl Door From Copenhagen, Denmark, Was Created In 1930

Image credits: j3ffr33d0m

#3 A Well Designed Crossword

Image credits: International_War935

Sergey goes on to say that excellent designers are proactive and responsible for product goals. They should not require hand-holding. The best designers constantly come up with new ideas and pitch suggestions to improve products. Some additional characteristics Sergey recommends looking for when hiring designers are people that are team players, solutions-focused, born creatives, self-organized and individuals with great communication skills. “So how hard could it be to find a proactive designer with hard skills? As it turns out, pretty difficult,” Sergey writes. “Not because there are none on the market right now, we’re honestly sure it’s quite the opposite. The reason is that the working environment really matters." He remains optimistic, though. "With great team management and a team structure, any new designer will thrive — whether they’re senior or junior.”

#4 "Where's The Fifth Pig?" - World War II Anti-Hitler Poster Created In The Occupied Netherlands. When Folded Correctly, It Creates Face Of Hitler - The Fifth Pig

Image credits: makkelelele

#5 Panda Bathroom Painting

Image credits: shin_kuzu

#6 Nasir Ol-Molk Mosque, Iran. Built In The 18th Century

Image credits: SoggyConclusion4674

The first problem Sergey notes when designers don’t have a great set of hard skills is that no one ever pushed them to reach their full potential. He explains that designers cannot simply work alone and discover how to get better, they require guidance and mentorship. If they are pushed out of the metaphorical nest too soon, they might not learn how to fly. “Without someone there to point out their mistakes and make suggestions for how to improve, they’re never going to get better,” Sergey explains. “They can create a horrible design and get away with that. They can stay on the same level for years without getting any better and no one will notice. There is no authority, no critics, no movement.”

#7 Corner Desk

Image credits: germannutella

#8 Conservation Awareness Poster

Image credits: Eloquentdyslexic

#9 Poster By Polish Illustrator Paweł Jońca

Image credits: hova414

Another problem product designers may encounter is being “marooned on their own in a product team”. Working on a team can be vital to keeping ideas fresh and innovative. Sometimes, two heads (or more) are just better than one. Being able to bounce ideas off of peers can go a long way, and it prevents one person from having to shoulder the weight of an entire team.

One designer who has been working solo in a product team for years wrote, “For the past few months, I’ve been working on an app for a plastic surgery clinic in Los Angeles. One of the app’s features is a direct chat between a doctor and a patient that allows them to exchange all the necessary information and prescriptions. And you know what? I’m building it all from scratch, from the ground, while a similar chat for collecting patient’s test data already exists, made by a guy who’s sitting one floor below me. He’s even done a user’s testing and fixed all the main bugs. And still, here I am, doing the same things over again.”

#10 Subway Details In Sweden

Image credits: psgenius

#11 This Billboard To Raise Awareness About Stutter

Image credits: UnironicThatcherite

#12 Photo By @anniset & @drcuerda | Breast Cancer Awareness

Image credits: Copper___Rose

When designers start to become burnt out, they tend to take a horizontal shift in their career. Feeling frustrated with too much work on a product team or being tempted to think they have reached the peak of their field, they give up on any vertical growth and decide to do something else. While it is understandable to want to mix things up, this puts them at a disadvantage. By starting at the bottom of another branch, designers make it even harder to ever attain a more senior position. Sergey stresses the importance of having a mentor, not only to keep an eye on a designer’s work but also to help them navigate their career trajectory. Skilled designers often move into product management or analytics positions before they have had the opportunity to reach their full potential as a designer. Then we end up mocking the new designer's work online in a list of design fails...

#13 You Ever Been Snitched On By A Cardboard Box?

Image credits: arlalanzily

#14 This Park Bench Can Fold Out Into A Table. All Park Bench Designers Can Stop What They’re Doing, We’ve Reached Elite-Park-Bench-Status

Image credits: Christinedrink

#15 What A Structure Of Building!

Image credits: karmagheden

When it comes to career opportunities for designers, graphic design is certainly a popular field. In the United States alone, there are currently about 175,000 graphic designers, and the industry continues to grow by about 1% annually. But as with any other industry, it is impossible to know exactly how it will be until you’ve entered the field. To help prepare aspiring graphic designers for their future careers, Brianna Flavin wrote a piece for Rasmussen University detailing all of the things she wished someone had told her before she became a graphic designer. The first thing Brianna notes is that boring work is just something graphic designers can expect. Another designer echoed this idea saying, “Being a professional graphic designer is just as much about working on tedious boring jobs as it is building cool brands that require lots of creativity. You aren’t always going to work on projects that are exciting and fun, but [less exciting work] is a huge part of the job that some find surprising at first.”

#16 Time Poster On Americas Obesity Epidemic

Image credits: Minimum_Focus_2857

#17 Beautiful Concept Packaging For Honey By Maksim Arbuzov

Image credits: Helpful-Substance685

#18 The Lost Class - The Agency Leo Burnett (Chicago) Held A Graduation Ceremony For The 3,044 Who Would Have Graduated This Year If They'd Not Been Killed In School By A Gunman

Image credits: Hadders33

Collaboration is apparently a very important aspect of graphic design as well. “It’s easy to feel possessive about your designs or your ideas; but when you are working as a graphic designer, collaborating with others is a huge part of the job,” Brianna writes. “There are always more variables to deal with when you add more people to the work you’re trying to do—but… teamwork can be a very gratifying part of the role.” Although not everyone is naturally a great team player, working together must be a full proof way to avoid ending up on any crappy design lists. With the input of several skilled designers, the end result of a project comes out as strong as possible.

#19 Rain Vortex

Image credits: Historical_Jacket_50

#20 Found In A Clothing Store Dressing Room

Image credits: myjupitermoon

#21 This Dragon Bench, Carved From Wood...

Image credits: Dr_Zol_Epstein_III

No matter how skilled a graphic designer is, they are never going to be perfect for every project. That might be another reason designs sometimes fall flat. “I went into this field thinking that a great designer can create for anyone,” says Shavanna Pinder, a graphic designer at Geek Powered Studios. “When in reality, client and designer pairing is much like any other close relationship; styles, temperaments, and values should complement each other.” Similar to how every client has unique preferences for who cuts their hair, who manicures their lawn and what doctor they feel most comfortable with, clients must find a graphic designer who they really mesh with as well. “It’s better for everyone—and a lot more enjoyable—when you and the client are on the same wavelength,” says Shavanna.

#22 Anti Nazi Sticker In Berlin

Image credits: Michael_D_Higgins

#23 Inclusive Picnic Table Design

Image credits: deep_soul

#24 This Lidl Lithuania Grocery Bag Promoting Paper Bags Over Plastic Ones

Image credits: ArchaeologicalTop

Another difficult aspect of being a graphic designer is that sometimes clients just don’t understand everything that the job entails. “I was surprised by unrealistic expectations from clients,” says Natalie Downey. “Whether it’s a shockingly low budget or an unreasonable deadline, be prepared to have a solution.” She explains that sometimes it is necessary to set boundaries with clients when they are asking for too much or demanding they pay too little. It can be frustrating to feel like you have to negotiate, but as the professional who is being hired for a gig and who understands the industry, the graphic designer is ultimately responsible for communicating effectively and reaching an agreement with their clients.

#25 Batman vs. Penguin – Hero & Villain Poster By Simon C Page

Image credits: Just-Aman

#26 This Amazing Door Design In Paris

Image credits: Auxxit

#27 Art Deco Door Brick And Wood

Image credits: NoConsideration1777

Maybe it should not be shocking when we find excellent examples of design out in the world, but there’s nothing wrong with celebrating them. In fact, lists like this should encourage aspiring designers to continue working hard and to ignore any crappy designs they encounter online. You don't have to fall into the trap of horrible design! We hope you enjoy the rest of this satisfying and impressive list, and don’t forget to upvote the images that stand out the most to you. Then if you’re looking for even more examples of excellent design, check out this Bored Panda list next.