---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Decoration is just make-up for the…"
description: "\"Decoration is just make-up for the wrinkles of the idea.\" — Thomas Manss"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31e/thomas-manss-101111_decoration_decoration-is-just-make-up-for-the-wrink_2285538.jpg"
---

#  Decoration is just make-up for the wrinkles of the idea.

![“Decoration is just make-up for the wrinkles of the idea.” quote by Thomas Manss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31e/thomas-manss-101111_decoration_decoration-is-just-make-up-for-the-wrink_2285538.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31e/thomas-manss-101111_decoration_decoration-is-just-make-up-for-the-wrink_2285538.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31e/thomas-manss-101111_decoration_decoration-is-just-make-up-for-the-wrink_2285538.jpg)

> “Decoration is just make-up for the wrinkles of the idea.”

Thomas Manss

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Decoration masks the flaws of an idea, acting as superficial cover for deeper issues.

**In simple terms:** Decoration hides idea flaws.

Key Takeaway

Focus on strengthening ideas, not just appearance.

Themes

design creativity critique aesthetics culture

Mood

reflective critical

Type

observation design decoration 1 design:0 ideas:0 wrinkles:0 decoration just:0 wrinkles idea:0 make wrinkles:0

When to use this quote

- marketing campaigns
- product design
- art installations
- public speaking
- personal branding

Key Concepts

visual communication brand identity psychology of perception

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you improve the underlying idea before decorating it?
- Is decoration ever justified without substance?

A Different Perspective

Superficial polish cannot fix fundamental problems.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Design](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/design/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/)

## Related quotes

> [Men's clothing is more pure in design. It's more simple and has no decoration. Women want that. When I started designing, I wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yohji-yamamoto/men-s-clothing-is-more-pure-in-design-it-s-more-simple-and-has-no/)

[Yohji Yamamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yohji-yamamoto/)

> [ The combination of an individual\[i.e., a client\] with a positive idea of living and a good designer is the great force in contemporary decoration.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-day-truex/the-combination-of-an-individual-i-e-a-client-with-a-positive-idea-of/)

[Van Day Truex](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-day-truex/)

> [The aim of art is to create space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-stella/the-aim-of-art-is-to-create-space/)

[Frank Stella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-stella/)

> [Practice design, Not Decoration: Don't just make pretty talking points. Instead, display information in a way that makes complex information clear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-duarte/practice-design-not-decoration-don-t-just-make-pretty-talking-points/)

[Nancy Duarte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-duarte/)

> [“Does character develop over time? In novels, of course it does:otherwise there wouldn't be much of a story. But in life? I sometimes wonder.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/does-character-develop-over-time-in-novels-of-course-it-does/)

[Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/)

> [The drama embraces and applies all the beauties and decorations of poetry. The sister arts attend and adorn it. Painting, architecture, and music are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/the-drama-embraces-and-applies-all-the-beauties-and-decorations-of/)

[Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/)

> [Decoration Day is the most beautiful of our national holidays… The grim cannon have turned into palm branches, and the shell and shrapnel into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-bailey-aldrich/decoration-day-is-the-most-beautiful-of-our-national-holidays-the/)

[Thomas Bailey Aldrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-bailey-aldrich/)

> [It is better decoration when, in painting, some monstrosity is introduced for variety and a relaxation of the senses and to attract the attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo/it-is-better-decoration-when-in-painting-some-monstrosity-is/)

[Michelangelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo/)

> [Humorists of the 'mere' sort cannot survive. Humor is only a fragrance, a decoration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/humorists-of-the-mere-sort-cannot-survive-humor-is-only-a-fragrance-a/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [Love Is the Treasure The temple of love is not love itself; True love is the treasure, Not the walls about it. Do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/love-is-the-treasure-the-temple-of-love-is-not-love-itself-true-love/)

[Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/)

> [Yet he saw that in all places there was originality, resulting from the human efforts at decoration and ingenious methods of survival.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/yet-he-saw-that-in-all-places-there-was-originality-resulting-from/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [People live and work in uninspiring environments, but look inside those rooms. Look at the painted walls and the decorations. People rebel even in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-gehry/people-live-and-work-in-uninspiring-environments-but-look-inside/)

[Frank Gehry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-gehry/)

> [She surrounded herself with books at work and at home. Her living space was a testament to her first and abiding love with shelves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/she-surrounded-herself-with-books-at-work-and-at-home-her-living/)

[Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/)

> [Les trois quarts de nos exercices intellectuels ne sont plus que broderies sur le vide. Three quarters of our intellectual performances are no more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-crayencour/les-trois-quarts-de-nos-exercices-intellectuels-ne-sont-plus-que/)

[Stephanie Crayencour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-crayencour/)

> [Coco Chanel really wanted to have freedom of a man, and at first the only way she could find that freedom was through the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-tautou/coco-chanel-really-wanted-to-have-freedom-of-a-man-and-at-first-the/)

[Audrey Tautou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-tautou/)

## More by Thomas Manss

> [To create a memorable design you need to start with a thought that's worth remembering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-manss/to-create-a-memorable-design-you-need-to-start-with-a-thought-that-s/)

Thomas Manss

Explore all 2 Thomas Manss quotes

## More Decoration quotes

> [The aim of art is to create space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-stella/the-aim-of-art-is-to-create-space/)

[Frank Stella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-stella/)

> [Les trois quarts de nos exercices intellectuels ne sont plus que broderies sur le vide. Three quarters of our intellectual performances are no more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-crayencour/les-trois-quarts-de-nos-exercices-intellectuels-ne-sont-plus-que/)

[Stephanie Crayencour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-crayencour/)

> [She surrounded herself with books at work and at home. Her living space was a testament to her first and abiding love with shelves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/she-surrounded-herself-with-books-at-work-and-at-home-her-living/)

[Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/)

> [People live and work in uninspiring environments, but look inside those rooms. Look at the painted walls and the decorations. People rebel even in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-gehry/people-live-and-work-in-uninspiring-environments-but-look-inside/)

[Frank Gehry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-gehry/)

> [Men's clothing is more pure in design. It's more simple and has no decoration. Women want that. When I started designing, I wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yohji-yamamoto/men-s-clothing-is-more-pure-in-design-it-s-more-simple-and-has-no/)

[Yohji Yamamoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yohji-yamamoto/)

> [Yet he saw that in all places there was originality, resulting from the human efforts at decoration and ingenious methods of survival.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/yet-he-saw-that-in-all-places-there-was-originality-resulting-from/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [ The combination of an individual\[i.e., a client\] with a positive idea of living and a good designer is the great force in contemporary decoration.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-day-truex/the-combination-of-an-individual-i-e-a-client-with-a-positive-idea-of/)

[Van Day Truex](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-day-truex/)

> [Love Is the Treasure The temple of love is not love itself; True love is the treasure, Not the walls about it. Do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/love-is-the-treasure-the-temple-of-love-is-not-love-itself-true-love/)

[Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/)

> [Humorists of the 'mere' sort cannot survive. Humor is only a fragrance, a decoration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/humorists-of-the-mere-sort-cannot-survive-humor-is-only-a-fragrance-a/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [It is better decoration when, in painting, some monstrosity is introduced for variety and a relaxation of the senses and to attract the attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo/it-is-better-decoration-when-in-painting-some-monstrosity-is/)

[Michelangelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo/)

> [Decoration Day is the most beautiful of our national holidays… The grim cannon have turned into palm branches, and the shell and shrapnel into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-bailey-aldrich/decoration-day-is-the-most-beautiful-of-our-national-holidays-the/)

[Thomas Bailey Aldrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-bailey-aldrich/)

> [The drama embraces and applies all the beauties and decorations of poetry. The sister arts attend and adorn it. Painting, architecture, and music are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/the-drama-embraces-and-applies-all-the-beauties-and-decorations-of/)

[Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/)

> [“Does character develop over time? In novels, of course it does:otherwise there wouldn't be much of a story. But in life? I sometimes wonder.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/does-character-develop-over-time-in-novels-of-course-it-does/)

[Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/)

> [Practice design, Not Decoration: Don't just make pretty talking points. Instead, display information in a way that makes complex information clear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-duarte/practice-design-not-decoration-don-t-just-make-pretty-talking-points/)

[Nancy Duarte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-duarte/)

> [Coco Chanel really wanted to have freedom of a man, and at first the only way she could find that freedom was through the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-tautou/coco-chanel-really-wanted-to-have-freedom-of-a-man-and-at-first-the/)

[Audrey Tautou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-tautou/)

Browse all 215 Decoration quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Decoration is just make-up for the wrinkles of the idea.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Thomas Manss"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-manss/decoration-is-just-make-up-for-the-wrinkles-of-the-idea/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Decoration"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-manss/decoration-is-just-make-up-for-the-wrinkles-of-the-idea/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31e/thomas-manss-101111_decoration_decoration-is-just-make-up-for-the-wrink_2285538.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31e/thomas-manss-101111_decoration_decoration-is-just-make-up-for-the-wrink_2285538.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/31e/thomas-manss-101111_decoration_decoration-is-just-make-up-for-the-wrink_2285538.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Decoration is just make-up for the wrinkles of the idea.” — Thomas Manss",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Thomas Manss",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-manss/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Decoration is just make-up for the...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-manss/decoration-is-just-make-up-for-the-wrinkles-of-the-idea/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-manss/decoration-is-just-make-up-for-the-wrinkles-of-the-idea/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
