25 Times Designers Said “That’ll Do” and Walked Away

John Summers • Contributor

Nov 18, 2025 11:00 PM EST

Let's take a moment to honor the bold, the baffling, and the brain-melting decisions made by designers who clearly just… gave up. Or maybe they were trailblazers of chaos. Either way, these 25 photos prove one thing: just because you can design something, doesn't mean you should.

From bathroom signs that seem like riddles written during a fever dream, to chairs that defy the very concept of comfort, to light switches placed with the logic of a toddler playing Tetris - this is the Hall of Fame for bad design. The Louvre of what-not-to-do. A masterclass in unintentional comedy. These are the kinds of things that make you pause and whisper to yourself, "Who approved this?"

So grab your blueprints and a bottle of wine, and come marvel at 25 examples of design so confusing, so ill-conceived, you might just start appreciating the simple beauty of a normal doorknob.

01
“I guess we don't need spacing between Go On.”

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02

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05
ewww

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06
“Sat here and watched no less than 15 people try to push open this pull only door.”

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07

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09
This flag has many problems

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10
How do I get there?

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11
Nope!

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12
Red pepper is green but yellow cheese is red

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13

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17
“The pull tab completely removes part of the instructions.”

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18
“Grocery store barcode scanner was scanning its own advertised barcode, so they had to cover it with permanent marker.”

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19
“Roof of university building intentionally leaks water and it spatters everywhere.”

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21
“What could go wrong! (btw it’s pitch black until you hit the light switch).”

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24
So close

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25

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