22 Deceptively Simple Designs That Are Actually Genius

Do you ever find yourself admiring the sheer genius of someone else's idea? This happens to me all the time.

In fact, oftentimes I can't help but seek out such concepts in my daily life. It could be a product you use every day or even just clever packaging. Let's take a look at some of the coolest designs out there.

1. This Charging Station

This person went to a restaurant, and they were thrilled to find this. There are solar-powered phone chargers built right into the umbrellas on the patio. Wow, that's some forward-thinking here. Do you agree with me?

2. This Crosswalk Signal

Isn't it so amazing that this crosswalk signal has a braille map? It shows people who are visually impaired how many lanes they have to cross and the direction of traffic. We should have these on all streets everywhere.

3. These Restaurant Napkins

Isn't it annoying when you're at a restaurant and you can't get the attention of the wait staff? Well, this restaurant designed super cool color-coordinated napkins that tell the staff whether you need help or you're satisfied for now.

4. This Zoo Logo

Why should a Zoo have just a regular logo when they can have fun with it? I love that you can see a giraffe and a rhino when you look at the letter "Z." Isn't this so clever?

5. This Bike Rack

Why does this bike rack resemble a whisk beating an egg? Well, it's because you can find it right in front of a cupcake shop. Get it now? Awe, I really dig that idea, ha, ha!

6. This World Ocean Day Design

How do you celebrate World Ocean Day? Well, if you're The Minimalist design firm, you create this logo to make a point. Did you notice the plastic bottle in the whale's mouth? Sad but true.

7. This Coffee Cup

Who here likes to have their coffee with ice cream? If you're that type of person, I bet you'll appreciate this cafe that provides a coffee cup that accommodates it. Ha, ha! I love this so much.

8. This Fitted Sheet

Who here struggles to figure out how to put that fitted sheet on their mattress? I'm glad I'm not the only one. So, it's refreshing to see at least one company that thought of a way to solve this dilemma.

9. This Toilet Seat

Even though I hate using public washrooms, sometimes it is a necessity. So, I believe all of them should have toilet seats you can lift like this with your hand. I would actually use my foot to do this.

10. This Business Card

Reddit | OfullOstomacheO

Why hand out just a typical business card when you can stand out of the crowd. This person designed the most intuitive card I have ever seen. Honestly, I want to steal this idea, ha, ha!

11. These Pencils

We can all do more to beautify our planet. So, why not just plant your used pencil when it's finished? That's exactly what you can do with these, and I absolutely love this idea.

12. These Book Benches

Why sit at just a regular park bench when you can enjoy something a lot more creative? Apparently, there are book benches like these somewhere in Bulgaria. Oh, that would be so cool to see, huh?

13. These Earbuds

Oh my goodness, what's going on here? Do I see this correctly? Do these earbuds come with a zipper so the cords don't get tangled? Oh, yes, that's right. Isn't that the most genius idea? I love it.

14. This Manhole

Have you ever been lost in a new city and didn't know where to go? That's happened to me more than I want to admit, haha. So a manhole that has a city map on it could have been quite handy back then.

15. This Wooden Advertising Board

Why is this wooden board cracked? Well, it's advertising a karate academy, so as you can see, it's quite fitting. Don't you love it when businesses come up with something so clever? I certainly do.

16. This Blinds Sample

This person wanted to know what the color of the blinds they were interested in ordering looked like, so they ordered a sample. But they were not expecting the company to send them a miniature version of the blinds themselves, ha, ha!

17. This Hanukkah Sweater

Did you notice something unusual about this Hanukkah sweater? Well, if you look closely, you'll realize that the sequins can be lit up or extinguished based on how you swipe them. How cool is that? What a great idea, huh?

18. These Urinals

Somebody really smart designed these modern urinals. There is an actual splash guard that protects your shoes from an accident. Oh, I bet that happens a lot, ha, ha! Why didn't they come with that sooner? I guess we will never know.

19. These Kid Shoes

Don't you get annoyed when your kids' sneakers make that squishy sound when they walk? Now, you can put a stop to that with his little switch over here. Oh, my. I never knew such a thing even existed.

20. This Leaf Confetti

The tradition of throwing confetti after a wedding ceremony dates back a long time. But now, a new idea is brewing with this real leaf confetti concept. And it's so much better for the environment, too.

21. These Measuring Spoons

For anyone like me who's very visual, these spoons are a great representation of a cool design. They show you exactly how each measurement looks. I have to say, I've never seen spoons like these before.

22. This Pump Bottle

One of the most annoying things is when you can't get all the lotion out of the bottle. Am I right? Ugh, I can't stand that. This bottle comes with a special curved bottom so you can get that last bit out. Nice!

Wow, I told you that even a simple design could be totally genius.

I think all of these definitely fall under this category. Have you ever seen one that looked basic, but upon further inspection, it blew your mind?

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