17 Designers Who Added Just a Little Twist to Ordinary Things and Made Life a Lot Easier

Good designers don’t necessarily create something new from scratch. Sometimes, a brilliant design is just a little detail that makes a good thing even better. A suitcase with a built-in scale can save you the trouble of paying extra money at the airport check-in counter, while a shopping cart with a magnifying glass will let you read the tiniest letters on product packages.

We at Bright Side are big fans of unusual designs, especially those that make life easier, and here are 17 gems we want to share with you today.

1. This suitcase can measure its own weight.

2. These rooftops for bicycles don’t let the saddle get wet.

3. The shirt on this maintenance person doubles as a sign that lets people know they should use the other door.

4. “My desk fan also doubles as a clock face.”

5. “This shirt that I own has a cloth stitched on the inside that you can clean your glasses with.”

6. “My pencil has a built-in ruler.”

7. The hood of this jacket comes with goggles.

8. “This shopping cart has a built-in magnifying glass.”

9. “This restroom door has a step so that you can open the door from inside with your foot, without having to touch the handle.”

10. With this mug you don’t have to think about where to put your wet tea bag.

11. “The cutout in this bank card allows blind people to know which way up they’re holding it, so they can use it in cash machines or payment devices.”

12. This measuring cup has its own scale.

13. “This box of dates comes with a built-in area to throw away the pits.”

14. “This sunblock bottle has a built-in mirror so you can see your face when applying.”

15. “My water cooler has a built-in pet water bowl.”

16. “My new king size sheets tell me which side is the long/short side.”

17. “The bathroom I’m in has red and green lights above the stalls to show if they are vacant or occupied.”

Which of these designs seemed the most brilliant to you and why? What other cool designs have you seen recently?