Sometimes, I wonder if designers and architects have a way of tapping into another dimension of creativity and drawing powerful ideas from it. But that might be more of an indication of my own meager spatial creativity compared to the wizards who make the modern world.
Now, every idea that comes along won’t be a brilliant, clever bolt from the blue. But that doesn’t mean that they can’t be good all the same. They might not change everyone’s life, but they can make a huge difference in a few lives, at least.
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1. Just to make sure nobody gets too curious for their own good, this pencil sharpener’s blade is attached with a very specific screw.
And not the kind any kid can find in their dad’s toolbox!
2. A brilliant choice of location to hold a reception: in the undersea tunnel at an aquarium.
Never would have thought of that, and it’s such a magical setting with majestic sea creatures swimming all around you.
3. This store provides tags that make it easy to indicate when your shopping cart needs a tune-up.
And if you’re anything like me, you always manage to pick the shopping cart that just wants to do its own thing.
4. Quite possibly the greatest thing Hot Wheels has ever done: providing a chassis meant to hold a GoPro camera.
Who hasn’t built a crazy Hot Wheels track and wanted to see it from car level?
5. At this restaurant, you can see an accurate, life-like preview of all the sundaes they make in this display of plastic representations.
And it looks like they make some pretty bizarre flavor combinations!
6. This faucet pours out a little extra light in addition to water.
Perfect for grabbing a mid-night drink without having to turn on a light or even keep a nightlight plugged in.
7. This business tries to help its night staff keep a sunny disposition with ceiling tiles that show a bright, clear day outside.
This has to be more welcome than a uniform, boring gray, don’t you think?
8. One of those things you would never think about until it really matters, these cards let people know your pets are relying on you in case of an emergency.
Hold on, gotta order a couple of these myself.
9. Not something that has become nearly common enough, this picnic table has a section of bench cut out to make it wheelchair accessible.
And not just accessible, but puts the wheelchair user right in the middle of the action.
10. This store decided to make its security camera a bit more subtle, working it into a wall mural as a fish’s eye.
Also appropriate because it probably has a fish-eye view, too.
11. The paper used for official documents like birth certificates has some pretty impressive features.
The watermarks read “vital record” when held up to the light, but if you try to photocopy it, it will read “void.”
12. Have you ever seen a stop sign that folds up and locks before? Because I hadn’t.
Apparently it’s to be unlocked and unfolded when traffic lights go down, just to remind drivers how to treat that situation.
13. These coffee filters have a level gauge printed inside so you know how much coffee to put in based on the size of pot you’re brewing.
Taking the guess work out of it!
14. The makers of these digital calipers planned ahead, including a replacement battery and a tiny screwdriver to access the battery right in the case.
Now to just not lose the battery and screwdriver in the meantime.
15. This moving dolly is designed like a tank so it can take loads up and down stairs with ease.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve wished I had this in my life.
16. Where else but a university chemistry department would have something like this periodic table, containing samples of all the elements.
Minus all the nasty radioactive stuff, naturally, and any that would be impossible to display.
17. This ladder to a loft area has some oddly shaped rungs, but there’s a purpose to them.
All those little platforms make it possible for a cat to climb up there!
18. During the 2012 Olympics, which London hosted, postal boxes in the districts where gold medalists lived were painted gold.
What a cool and unexpected way to celebrate gold on your home turf!
19. Through the magic of welding, this mail box appears to be defying gravity, floating on a chain at the curb.
Doubt the mail carrier will overlook this house on their route.
20. This house sure has a different look, with bricks along the side raised to make a horse’s head.
It’s definitely a unique idea, and leaves no doubt about the homeowner’s opinion of horses.
21. Here’s an interesting piece of accessibility: an elevator that works diagonally alongside stairs.
I guess you can think of it as a wheelchair accessible escalator, which is certainly unusual, but not unwelcome.
22. When you are committed to a certain level of comfort and warmth in your life, there will come a day when wearing a sleeping bag just fits.
And they’re available, too! The lazy dream is real!
23. Credit to the folks who set up this creative “display” of an F-117 stealth fighter at an airbase.
I wonder how many people think there’s a real, invisible plane there.
24. I’m not sure whether I like the idea of using slanted glasses at a restaurant or hate it.
They’re novel, but the novelty could wear off awfully fast, especially at breakfast.
