Do you find clever designs fascinating? Like, when there’s an ordinary, everyday object that has somehow been transformed to do something amazing in addition to its regular purpose? That’s so cool, isn’t it?
Maybe it’s just me, but my heart gets happy when I see a smart design that also has a purpose just like these examples.
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1. This Playground Feature
If you can believe it, this playground has fake velociraptor dinosaur bones buried in the sandpit for kids to dig up. What? That’s so cool.
2. This Reusable Cup
This cup is not only made from recycled plastic but it’s also collapsible. It even comes with its own straw you can store inside of it.
3. Morse Code Necklace
Wouldn’t it be cool to have your name embedded in a necklace? Well, this one spells out “Sarah” in morse code. Wow, that’s so awesome!
4. This Travel Animal iPad Message
No more worries about people trying to break into your car to rescue your cat when you’ve got this iPad message on hand. The temperature reading is a nice touch, too.
5. These Funky Umbrellas
Apparently, these umbrellas found in Japan have patterns on them that are revealed when they get wet. How fun is that? Let it rain!
6. This Milk Carton
Wouldn’t it be great if you could tell how much milk is left in your milk carton? Now you can with this awesome indicator.
7. Theft Prevention Dispenser
It looks like too many people were stealing those little bottles of shampoo, conditioner, and shower gel. So, this hotel had to resort to something like this to keep the bottles in place.
8. This Bathroom Mirror
Isn’t it annoying when you have to wait for the mirror to defog after a shower and you’re in a hurry? Now you don’t have to with this smart mirror.
9. This Coffee Cup Duo
No more crying over spilled coffee when you’ve got this accompanying plate that makes it a perfect fit with the cup.
10. This Shirt Insert
This shirt has a piece of lens cloth sewn inside for your glasses. This would be so handy for me since I’m always cleaning my glasses.
11. This Bathroom Handle
This bathroom handle has a feature that will dispense hand sanitizer liquid when you push open the door. Great way to keep your hands clean, huh?
12. This Mug With Mustache Guard
The best gift you can get for your grandpa is this mug that will cover his ‘stache when he’s drinking his favorite coffee.
13. This Sorted Packaging
Can you imagine if all furniture hardware was sorted by step rather than by type? That would make building those IKEA pieces so much easier.
14. This Cool Airplane Effect
Imagine flying on a plane that has rainbow lights such as these? I bet that flight would be much more enjoyable than any other.
15. These Shirts
How cool is that this shirt is made from recycled plastic? And they show you exactly how it works, too. I had no idea. Loving this.
16. This Bench
Here’s some quick and smart thinking for you. Someone clearly needed a bench so they came up with a clever way to make one from existing elements.
17. This Desk
Not only is this desk really cool to look at because of its slick see-through design, but it’s also a map of the world. Yipee.
18. This Sidewalk Ad
Whoa, are they putting ads on sidewalks now? No wonder since so many people are looking down at their phones all the time. Scary but true.
19. This Spice Rack
If you’re like me and have a hard time finding space in your kitchen to fit all your spices, this pull-out spice rack is a life-saver.
20. This Soap Dispenser
This super handy soap dispenser will grate and dispense bar soap for you. How awesome is that? I’ve never seen anything like this before.
21. This Shipping Truck
This nifty shipping truck opens from the side as well as the back for greater convenience. That is such a smart way to design it.
22. This CPR Learning Machine
I gotta admit, I’ve never seen a CPR learning machine before. How cool is it that they have one at the John Wayne Airport?
23. This Campus Bottle
Students at Princeton University can buy a water bottle that shows them a map of all the water filling stations around campus. I say that’s a pretty genius idea.
24. This Ice Cream
I dunno about you, but looking at this pre-packaged soft-serve ice cream that you can pick up from this store is making me crave it.
25. These Shopping Baskets
There are two different sets of shopping baskets at a department store in Bangkok. One is for those who need help and the others are for those who want to be left alone while shopping.
26. This Sleeping Mask
This mask will come in handy on an airplane. It lets the flight attendants know whether they should wake you up for a meal or let you sleep.
27. This Hand Washing Station
This grocery store placed a hand washing station outside of its entrance. You only need to use a foot pedal to dispense the water. Love it!
28. This Medicine Bottle Cap
How many times do you ask yourself, “Did I take my medication today?” This pill bottle lid tells you when you last opened it so you’ll never wonder again.
29. This Supermarket Checkout System
A supermarket in the Netherlands has drawn lines on the ground to keep people well separated at the register. This is #SocialDistancing at its best.
30. This Parcel Handling Gauge
With the help of this awesome gauge, you will know exactly how well or how rough your parcel was treated during transit. Amazon needs to start using this.
31. This Visual Plate
How awesome is the design on this plate? The Itsukushima Shinto Shrine appears on the dish when the soy sauce is poured on it. Whoa, neat.
If you could design a perfect piece of equipment that would make everyone’s life easier, why wouldn’t you do it? Right?
I think these designs do just that.
Last Updated on April 26, 2021 by Kasia Galifi
