The theory Owen Jones believed in was one which put craft, materials and process before aesthetics. Jones’ argument was that “Construction should be decorated. Decoration should never be purposely constructed”. He means that when something is designed, it should have a basic solid structure before being decorated or made to be aesthetically pleasing. Jones believed materials should remain true and should serve the purpose they were made to do, for example wood should not be painted or covered, it is a material which is recognised for its own unique qualities.
An example of constructed decoration, I believe is the Centripetal Spring Armchair, Designed by Thomas Warren. However, there is an opposing view on this design which shows that this chair is made for more than decoration. Made from varnished cast iron, varnished steel and wood, this chair holds an interesting aesthetic, alongside function. Many would criticize this design and say it is more of a decorative piece because it displays unnecessary decoration , as opposed to a structure which was made to fulfil a basic purpose. Designed for use on railway carriages and other forms of transport, the spring chair allowed for shock absorption and movement, making this a design which served a specific purpose, therefore some would argue it is not ‘decoration constructed’ and perhaps falls into the ‘constructed decoration’ category.
