There are plenty of people out there who absolutely love a day trip to IKEA. Personally, I find the idea of getting lost in a gigantic store searching for furniture possibly the most boring way to utilize my free time, but each to their own. What we can all agree on, however, is that no matter how excited we are about a new purchase, that excitement soon fades once you get home.
We all think we can handle some simple instructions, but there's always something that we don't quite understand, or a mistake that can lead to absolute disaster along the line. You've likely seen your fair share of frustrations with these build-it-yourself products, but these people saw failures far worse than you've ever had to deal with.
The only thing you can really do to prepare yourself for the frustration and heartbreak that will inevitably come from putting together IKEA furniture at home is to expect to fail. Yep, you'll get no words of positivity from me, it's going to be a rough time.
Yes, as I lose track of the number of weeks we've been in lockdown, boredom is well and truly setting in. No longer do TikTok challenges entice me, I've completed every jigsaw in the house, and I'm started to feel physically sick if any of my friends suggest having another Zoom quiz.
But fear not, because IKEA is here to remind us all of the best way of passing time: building a fort.
Yes, for many of us, we probably haven't built a fort since we were kids and our parents said we could do whatever we wanted to keep ourselves entertained on a rainy day so long as we stay out of mom's way while she was cooking dinner only for her to totally FREAK OUT after she realizes you've used her wedding dress as a sail to your couch cushion pirate ship... no, only me?
Building forts is fun. It evokes memories of the past and forces us to use our imagination and embrace our inner-child.
And in case you need a little guidance, IKEA Russia has revealed their new campaign with an agency called Instinct, which includes a set of instructions on how people can construct tents, castles, forts, and other cool structures weather the pandemic - each one designed like the iconic IKEA instruction manual.
And for the first time ever, people are actually following the instructions - as social media users upload their best efforts, along with the hashtag '#явдомикеикеа' (which roughly translates to "I’m in an IKEA house").
I may not be able to celebrate the end of the working week like I used to, but now I know exactly what I'm with my weekend - and it involves a broom, the couch, and an old bedsheet!
By this point, pretty much everyone shops online. I still haven't ventured into buying clothes online yet, but when it comes to Christmas and birthday presents it's always far easier to search and click than go out into the hustle and bustle of high street shops.
While most of the time this process is efficient, helpful, and ultimately successful, some people don't fare so well. In fact, people have shared their worst online shopping regrets - and it's hard not to laugh at their misfortune.
We've all had times where the item we have ordered didn't quite meet our expectations, but I've never had something as bad as the above atrocities. It might be worth keeping that 'racism' hoodie for lazy Sundays indoors, as I'm betting it wouldn't go down too well in public.
One of the great things about going on vacation is that you can brag. Let's face facts here, we all live for bragging rights. Social media is there for bragging rights. Instagram, in essence, is bragging rights in an app. The whole premise of Instagram is to brag about how great you and your life is. So, in light of this, nothing gives you more bragging rights than going on vacation.
Sausage legs, acai bowls, infinity pools and flamingo floats are all common materials used to make the perfect vacay photo for the gram. However, while you may think you "how's your Monday going?" photos are harmless, they may actually be dangerous.
When I say dangerous, I don't mean dangerous in the fact that your friends may slap you back from whence you came upon your arrival, I mean that - according to experts - you may be increasing your chances of getting burgled.
While you may not be sitting their advertising your home address to your followers, letting people know you're away from home makes you a prime target for those who do know where you're located.
"Although it’s fun to post vacation photos and let everyone know you’re having a cocktail on a sunny beach, that sends a clear signal to burglars that your home is empty," said Ruby Gonzalez, Communications Director of NordVPN.
If a potential thief is aware that you're not in your home, they could quite easily scan your profile for pictures of your home and the general area that you live in order to roughly work out where your house is located.
I know what you're going to say, "how the f--- is someone going to work out where I live off of the back of a few Instagram uploads?" Well, it's not as unlikely as it sounds.
A survey carried out on more than 2,000 people by home interiors specialist www.hillarys.co.uk revealed that one in 12 Britons has been burgled after bragging about their holiday on social media. Over half admitted they had tagged their location on their posts.
The respondents were asked whether they updated their profiles while on vacation and a surprising 81 per cent admitted to doing so.
However, despite the fact that so many people have been burgled while on vacation, the majority of respondents admitted that they hadn't changed their online habits since they were burgled. 67 per cent of the people surveyed said that they continued to post holiday photos and pictures of expensive items after they had been a victim of a robbery.
According to the research, the most common items that were stolen were electrical goods, jewellery and cash.
If you're looking for a way to avoid getting burgled while on holiday, the experts at NordVPN advise waiting until you get home to post your holiday snaps. Alternatively, they suggest putting your profile on private so that only people you trust can view your activity.
Whichever one works for you, make sure you're vigilant out there.
Credit: Reddit/Magic_Dolo[/caption]
When it comes to staircase designs, precision is everything. One miscalculated centimeter, and you can end up with some serious accidents on your hands. While we hardly ever think about these things, we pretty much use stairs on the daily. When executed well, an interesting design to a set of stairs can actually be pretty cool and elevate a space. However, when there poor planning involved, stairs aren’t just an eyesore – they become downright dangerous death traps. Sorry to be dramatic, but you know it’s true. So if you’re interested, scroll through this list of the worst designed staircases you’ll ever see. And next time you’re on the stairs, make sure you watch where you step.
[post_page_title]Choices[/post_page_title]
When I first saw this I thought, "Ooh, what an interesting rug." Then I remembered I was writing an article about stair design fails. Needless to say, my "Ooh," quickly turned to "Ohh..."
[caption id="attachment_2119" align="aligncenter" width="760"]
Credit: Reddit/scienceyeaux[/caption]
Can you say, "accident waiting to happen?" Hope whatever company that is, they have a good legal team. They're going to need it.
[post_page_title]What Even Is This?[/post_page_title]
Are they staircases or shelves? Whatever they are, they look like they're suspended in their air and it's not sitting well with us.
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Credit: Reddit/TeeMistoil[/caption]
Did you know that stair climbing is officially classed as a ‘vigorous exercise,’ meaning it burns more calories per minute than jogging? And it also requires eight to nine times more energy expenditure than sitting, all while burning 7 times the amount of calories you would taking the elevator - but we don't think this information relates to these weird, wall-shelf stairs.
[post_page_title]Optical Illusions For The Carpet[/post_page_title]
In keeping with the staircase fun facts, going upstairs means you burn about 0.17 calories for every step, so you burn roughly a calorie and a half for every 10 upward steps. And on the way down, you burn about 0.05 calories, so that is one calorie for every 20 steps down.
[caption id="attachment_2121" align="aligncenter" width="600"]
Credit: Reddit/ThatJustWontWork[/caption]
But our big question is really how much would you be burning calorie-wise by falling down these stairs? Because with that carpet pattern there is no way you won't get dizzy and go for a little tumble downwards.
[post_page_title]The Art Of Camouflage[/post_page_title]
I'm not a psychic, but somehow I'm managing to get a vision of many stubbed toes and twisted ankles.
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Credit: Reddit/shortround10[/caption]
Climbing stairs is supposed to be good for your health, guarding against heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and some cancers, as well as producing feel-good endorphins. But all I see this staircase producing is lots of scares and near-misses – none of which are good for your overall well-being.
[post_page_title]Followed The Instructions Carefully[/post_page_title]
When you go to build something, if you follow the instructions that come with it, the process should go smoothly and the results should be as expected. Unfortunately, in this case, that was a resounding no.
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Credit: Reddit/MenacingBanjo[/caption]
It's said that if a building has five floors or less, taking the stairs is always quicker. In fact, studies have found that employees who take the stairs save up to 15 minutes a day...but in this case, I think the elevator would be the better bet.
[post_page_title]Staircase To Nowhere[/post_page_title]
The following design might be bad now, but in 20 years when most everywhere is underwater thanks to melted ice caps and global warming, the hack who designed them will look like a forward-thinking genius.
[caption id="attachment_2124" align="aligncenter" width="600"]
Credit: Reddit/SnyperJay[/caption]
But until that day comes, they still look like an idiot. I mean really, who builds staircases that only go halfway? Not even pigeons would be so inclined to use these.
[post_page_title]The Wood Is Pretty At Least[/post_page_title]
Just seven minutes of climbing stairs every day is estimated to reduce your risk of heart attack over the course of 10 years.
[caption id="attachment_2125" align="aligncenter" width="600"]
Credit: Reddit/palegreycells[/caption]
We doubt that is the case for these stairs. While the wooden steps are pretty and well-polished, we doubt that the unevenness of it all does anything to reduce the risk of heart attacks.
[post_page_title]Wheelchairs Beware[/post_page_title]
I don't know what is worse here: the fact that there are stairs where there should be an accessibility ramp or the fact that a sign highlights it as a path for wheelchairs only.
[caption id="attachment_2126" align="aligncenter" width="600"]
Credit: Reddit/Planeguy58[/caption]
Whoever designed this shouldn't put this design job on their resume. It's a big nope.
[post_page_title]A Serial Killer's Dream House[/post_page_title]
I believe there was a serial killer who designed the perfect murder home with all kinds of trick doors and false exits in order to further torment his victims while attempting to kill them. This would be his dream staircase – a flight of stairs that leads to a dead end.
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Credit: Reddit/dylangleit[/caption]
Can we all agree that looking at this picture makes us imagine that familiarly creepy voice saying, "Do you want to play a game?"
[post_page_title]Just No[/post_page_title]
There's nothing I can say about this staircase design other than just no. There is nothing aesthetically pleasing about this design, nor is there anything safe.
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Credit: Reddit/Landash[/caption]
Not going to lie, this one gives me a little bit of PTSD to look at. It looks like the inside of a Charlie's Chinese, and I nearly broke my face in there one time because the steps to the bathroom were an optical illusion. True story.
[post_page_title]Even Sober You'd Still Fail[/post_page_title]
I'm clumsy even on my best days. I still couldn't imagine taking these stairs on sober, let alone after I've had a couple of drinks. Could you imagine attempting this death trap drunk and while wearing high heels with one hand trying to balance a cocktail without spilling?
[caption id="attachment_2129" align="aligncenter" width="600"]
Credit: Reddit/Elmaaro[/caption]
Neither can I. Thinking back to how I used to do the weekends in my early 20s gives me heart palpitations looking at this staircase. I don't even think 21-year-old me who was like a mountain goat in heels could have ever traversed these stairs.
[post_page_title]These Movie Theatre Stairs[/post_page_title]
I take it back, give me the stairs from the previous one. I'd rather those than these. I don't even think that an agile cat could make walking these look graceful.
[caption id="attachment_2130" align="aligncenter" width="600"]
Credit: Reddit/hatonthefox[/caption]
They are way too camouflaged together to be safely walked on. Is this design even legal? Can people not get in trouble for making stairs blend together with carpet?
[post_page_title]Not Even a Staircase[/post_page_title]
The trouble with these stairs is they're not even stairs so much as a poorly thought out water fountain design. We've all seen them at some point right?
[caption id="attachment_2168" align="aligncenter" width="600"]
Credit: Reddit/Johantm[/caption]
To try to walk on this I would say is pretty slippery and not at all safe. I mean, apart from Jesus, have you ever heard of anyone else walking on water successfully?
[post_page_title]A Lawsuit Waiting to Happen[/post_page_title]
There are so many things wrong with this picture. The main problem being the stairs have no landing.
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Credit: Reddit/Vjaa[/caption]
I wonder how many of those tenants have had to sign a release in their lease saying that they wave suing the landlord or letting agency should they end up falling and breaking their necks?
[post_page_title]Why[/post_page_title]
A ladder that wants to be a staircase or a staircase that wants to be a ladder? The question is posed, let the debates begin.
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Credit: Reddit/unknown[/caption]
Either way, I don't think any of us will be wanting to use that as a means to get to higher ground at any point.
[post_page_title]Instagram Versus Reality[/post_page_title]
Ok, on a first glance, if you were to factor out the guy risking his life to get down these stairs, they would actually be kinda cool. They're like shelves you can walk on. It's everything you could've dreamed of as a kid. Plus, without anyone in the shot, they'd made great Instagram feed.
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Credit: Reddit/Peeped[/caption]
The reality, however, is much different. Can you imagine trying to go up and down those stairs several times a day? Plus what if you forget something and have to go back up or down? It's like playing real-life Tetris in your own home. No. I'm too old for that s***.
[post_page_title]Will You Suffer Now Or Later?[/post_page_title]
On a first glance, everything looks normal, right? You might even wonder why this design made this list in the first place. Look again.
[caption id="attachment_2177" align="aligncenter" width="700"]
Credit: Reddit/Writerro[/caption]
You spotted it, didn't you? In the background, the ramp and stairs switch. So if you're presumably in a wheelchair or wheeling something up the ramp that has wheels the question is would you rather encounter your obstacles now, or later?
[post_page_title]Would Be Better Suited To Bookshelves[/post_page_title]
These stairs shouldn't be stairs. They're not practical and safe enough to hold the title. But they're still pretty cool to look at, it makes you wish you could designate them to a different job.
[caption id="attachment_2178" align="aligncenter" width="700"]
Credit: Reddit/Writerro[/caption]
Maybe bookshelves instead? Put some cute potted plants in there as well and you could easily have a great picture for Instagram to hashtag.
[post_page_title]Futuristic Nightmare[/post_page_title]
Whoever designed these probably thought they were cool and futuristic looking. I mean, who doesn't want to bring their home into the year 3,000 when we're all living on Mars is sleek white spacey-looking pods like in every sci-fi movie ever? But these stairs are a hard no.
[caption id="attachment_2179" align="aligncenter" width="600"]
Credit: Reddit/Cyreniac[/caption]
The only thing you're doing by bringing these stairs into your home is making life dangerous for you and whoever lives with you. Don't do that.
[post_page_title]Laziness At Its Finest [/post_page_title]
Too lazy to go up a tiny hill? There are stairs for that apparently. What would be even worse than this, is if those stairs were to rotate on a conveyer belt like an elevator.
[caption id="attachment_2180" align="aligncenter" width="600"]
Credit: Reddit/Man-Sand[/caption]
This picture is probably how Wall-E started before all the humans ended up in floating chairs.
[post_page_title]Double The Stairs [/post_page_title]
Don't see the second set of stairs? Look again, they're there. They're also tiny and don't seem to be wide enough for humans?
[caption id="attachment_2181" align="aligncenter" width="600"]
Credit: Reddit/adynako[/caption]
As Reddit user NanZ so eloquently put it, "I don't understand this one at all. I don't know why anyone would do that." Neither do we.
[post_page_title]These Stairs... Again[/post_page_title]
We already showed you a pair of these in blue earlier. Much like certain clothing items, trying them on in a different color is not going to help the fact that they're just a no.
[caption id="attachment_2182" align="aligncenter" width="600"]
Credit: Reddit/salamanca2792[/caption]
These stairs look a dangerous attempt to recycle lightsabers. And as much as we like Star Wars, we can't support this look.
[post_page_title]Must Be This Small To Climb The Stairs [/post_page_title]
Finally, a height limit that my short friends will be happy about. These stairs don't seem to account for the average-heighted people of the world.
[caption id="attachment_2183" align="aligncenter" width="600"]
Credit: Reddit/CapnRedbeard647[/caption]
Hopefully whoever's home this is, is either under 5 feet tall, or doesn't need to access the second floor all that often, because I foresee a lot of head-banging.
[post_page_title]Monaco Stairs[/post_page_title]
The wife and I were talking about doing Monaco in mid-February as a way of dusting off the Dublin cold. But if their staircases are anything like this, I think I'd rather stay home.
[caption id="attachment_2184" align="aligncenter" width="600"]
Credit: Reddit/clockbird[/caption]
It's a big nope. And I don't know what those little silver knobs are doing...they're certainly not fixing the problem that you can't see where the stairs begin or end.
[post_page_title]The Tiniest Skate Park Ever[/post_page_title]
If you're into skating, this would probably be the last place you'd want to test out cool new flips and tricks. It's like the skate park at would be suited to Stuart Little.
[caption id="attachment_2185" align="aligncenter" width="600"]
Credit: Reddit/mariii95[/caption]
For the rest of us, we're just completely confused as to why there's a nook of stairs there. And a tiny ramp as well? What is going on? Did the construction team have extra concrete they had to use up?
[post_page_title]The Staircase of Confusion[/post_page_title]
Looking at this, you can see how many people would be perplexed by it. It has absolutely no function in the middle of it for certain reasons. But over all the design isn't that terrible right?
[caption id="attachment_2186" align="aligncenter" width="600"]
Credit: Reddit/N0t-a-Weeab00[/caption]
Although since it looks to be something like a college campus, I can only imagine the traffic jam of people it creates at the beginning of the fall semester.
[post_page_title]Poor Execution[/post_page_title]
They say you get what you pay for. And clearly what this person paid for was an architectural nightmare in their home. It's definitely going to be something that gets them and their guests more than once.
[caption id="attachment_2187" align="aligncenter" width="760"]
Credit: Reddit/SlumberingParrot[/caption]
Hope they have good health insurance. With all the foreseeable trips to the ER, they're going to need it.
[post_page_title]You Shall Not Pass![/post_page_title]
There's nothing getting past these stairs. I certainly wouldn't be able to squeeze through even while wearing 3 pairs of Spanx. I salute anyone who would be able to get around the column.
[caption id="attachment_2188" align="aligncenter" width="600"]
Credit: Reddit/Magic_Dolo[/caption]
I think I will be taking the long way around wherever this is.
[post_page_title]Get the Holy Water[/post_page_title]
Remember that scene in The Exorcist where she comes down the stairs doing that creepy backward contortion? Yeah, that is what these stairs reminded me of immediately. They just radiate creep vibes so hard.
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Credit: Reddit/rileyjw90[/caption]
Plus, let's be real, they also don't look like they serve that much of a function other than to scare the bejeezus out of you in the middle of the night.
[post_page_title]These Measure A Foot High![/post_page_title]
No joke, they are apparently that tall. So you know how sometimes we like to take two stairs at a time in order to feel like we're being healthy? Well, now you can get that feeling while still just going one step at a time.
[caption id="attachment_2191" align="aligncenter" width="600"]
Credit: Reddit/paulcbel[/caption]
But I don't see that as fun but more of an inconvenience.
Despite the incredibly advanced technology and sleek design we have these days, there are some things that have slipped through the net when it comes to design standards. Whether it's badly designed interiors (why are public bathrooms always so horrid?) or signs that have received a misfortunate grammatical treatment, 2018 is still rife with design fails.
These 22 images come from around the internet, and I dare you not to cringe at every single one.
1. How did this design get approved?
2. Thanks for letting me know
3. Sounds like a quality establishment
4. They clearly have a lot of faith in the latest technological advancements...
22. That's not Trump, that's Alec Baldwin dressed as Trump
From see-through toilet cubicles and fans whose switches might cause the loss of a finger, these images have been a reminder that it's a cruel and dangerous world out there. Stay sharp, folks, and look closely before you buy your kid a sweater with pandas all over it.
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