If you’re a fan of terrible designs, you might’ve run across one of the many subreddits dedicated to just that. On pages like r/CrappyDesign, people share everything from overly-decorated homes to tools that don’t remotely work the way they’re supposed to.
But those subreddits are full of something else that might surprise you: stairs. Why is that so surprising? Well, because it seems like stairs would be kind of difficult to mess up. Sure, most of us aren’t designers or builders. But stairs only have a few basic qualities that aren’t hard to understand. As long as they’re even, what could go wrong?
Well, as it turns out…a lot. There are all kinds of wacky stairs — including those with enormous gaps, ones leading to nowhere, stairs covered with confusing carpeting, and then the completely unnecessary ones. It makes you wonder, “Who on earth thought this was a good idea?”
Maybe that’s the reason subreddits like these have become so popular. Design isn’t always about thinking outside the box, after all. It’s also about being practical and making sure people can use the structures you build. Check out these 35, stair design fails that’ll have you wondering who thought they were ever okay.
A professional designed these stairs. Then a bunch of construction workers looked at the design and decided there was nothing wrong with the finished project.
Not only should stairs be built well, but you also need to pay attention to the carpeting choice. Otherwise, you might end up with a pattern that causes a lot of accidents.
3. A heart attack waiting to happen
Why is the bottom stair the only one not carpeted, and the exact color as the floor? We’ll never know. But I bet a lot of people have scared the daylights out of themselves on that stair.
What’s the worst possible carpet design for stairs? My guess would be something complex and uneven. You know, exactly like this.
5. When the Matrix gets deleted
These stairs all end abruptly, giving them the impression that something was just deleted. If we’re in the Matrix, can I still fall off those stairs and break my leg?
6. I can’t wait for the lawsuit
Someone had this terrible idea for a public building. Those aren’t real stairs. They’re decorative waterfalls made to look like stairs. What could go wrong?
7. That’s a terrible idea
The designer of these stairs was trying to be avant-garde and edgy. But in general, uneven patterns aren’t what you want on a flight of stairs.
This movie theater carpeting is so bad it might give you vertigo. Just close your eyes while you walk and you’ll be okay.
Isn’t the point of having a wheelchair ramp to make it accessible to…wheelchairs? Maybe I missed a memo about wheelchairs now being able to climb stairs.
10. Whoever survives gets a prize
These stairs are so strange they might confuse you at the best of times. Imagine trying to make your way down them after a couple of drinks.
11. Good luck getting out
In case of a fire, you’re never supposed to use the elevator but rather, the stairs. I think in this building, you’d have better luck with the elevator.
This extra strip of black tile is so unnecessary it almost seems deliberate. You can imagine an evil stair designer chuckling as they plan for infinite broken ankles.
13. Only for people with long legs
You might struggle on these stairs — unless you’re unusually tall, that is. Each stair is 12 inches high. It’s not entirely clear why.
Putting a flight of stairs directly outside a door with no landing or step seems like it would be deadly. You better be completely sober whenever you come home.
15. Good luck staying alive
What could go wrong with a flight of stairs that aren’t connected? You can also walk on top of someone’s desk to be extra annoying.
This flight of stairs was spotted in a college dorm. With the dimly-lit alcove, thanks to a single lightbulb, and stairs that lead to nowhere, it looks like a scene from a slasher movie.
Stairs are supposed to serve a purpose, but these spectacularly fail. There’s no reason to walk up the stairs if there’s a giant pole in the middle of them.
I would’ve fired the contractor who designed these stairs. They’re tilted and uneven, which means they’re begging for you to trip every time you use them.
19. This seems counterproductive
How’s this for a great idea? A railing that blocks off one-third of the stairs. Even better, it’s at a college. So, you know it’s a high-traffic area that causes a lot of problems.
I’m pretty sure this builder started making an extra set of stairs, only to realize — halfway through — they weren’t needed. So, they just decided to leave them as they were.
These stairs are so confusing, you have to stare for a while to figure them out (pun intended). I think those are traction dots, but they’re only on every other stair.
This staircase is a conundrum. Whichever path you take — wheelchair accessible or not — you’ll eventually encounter stairs. So, do you want to have a hard time now or later?
These stairs are so tiny no adult could reasonably climb them. Kids will be fine, but grown-ups would eventually have to crawl on their hands and knees.
24. Better go up on all fours
These stairs look like they’re made of flimsy sheet metal and could snap under your weight. As for the uneven design…well, let’s just say I’ll be staying on the ground floor.
There are badly designed stairs and then there are stairs that are just plain unnecessary. But hey, thanks for the three steps on the slightly-inclined hill, man.
26. Start with the left foot
For these stairs, there seems to be a method to the madness. You have to start with the left foot and then alternate carefully. The whole thing looks like a booby trap.
27. Only for skinny people
What on earth is going on with these stairs? It appears there’s a second, smaller flight on one side…yet it doesn’t lead anywhere. Maybe it’s for gnomes.
28. I’m just going down on my backside
These stairs are so uneven that I wouldn’t trust one inch of them. I also wouldn’t trust my eyeballs, which can’t quite figure out what they’re looking at.
29. It’s an observation deck
What should you do with a flight of stairs that leads to a landing and…that’s it? Maybe you can set it up with a lifeguarding chair and have a pool installed.
This is exactly how you want your basement stairs to look. Make sure they’re as uneven as possible. Bonus points if there’s a sudden and treacherous turn.
Putting advertisements on the stairs seems like a fun idea. Until it doesn’t work out, that is. This poor woman now has the longest face in the world.
There are few things more disgusting than a carpet in the bathroom, especially one that leads to the shower. Come on, people. There’s water in there.
33. Not great for traffic
What idiot had this idea? These stairs — at a school, no less — have a lot of foot traffic every day. Just to keep things confusing, part of them leads to nowhere.
I’m not sure why anyone would try to put storage cabinets right beside stairs. Whatever the reason, it didn’t work. Guess you’re not using that one.
This pattern’s so dazzling and confusing it might just induce a seizure in sensitive walkers. These stairs need to come with a warning label.
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Source: Bored Panda
If you’re a fan of terrible designs, you might’ve run across one of the many subreddits dedicated to just that. On pages like r/CrappyDesign, people share everything from overly-decorated homes to tools that don’t remotely work the way they’re supposed to.
But those subreddits are full of something else that might surprise you: stairs. Why is that so surprising? Well, because it seems like stairs would be kind of difficult to mess up. Sure, most of us aren’t designers or builders. But stairs only have a few basic qualities that aren’t hard to understand. As long as they’re even, what could go wrong?
Well, as it turns out…a lot. There are all kinds of wacky stairs — including those with enormous gaps, ones leading to nowhere, stairs covered with confusing carpeting, and then the completely unnecessary ones. It makes you wonder, “Who on earth thought this was a good idea?”
Maybe that’s the reason subreddits like these have become so popular. Design isn’t always about thinking outside the box, after all. It’s also about being practical and making sure people can use the structures you build. Check out these 35, stair design fails that’ll have you wondering who thought they were ever okay.
