A collection of furniture, most of which was produced before 1770, forms the basis of this description and explanation of the characteristics distinguishing vernacular furniture from bourgeois furniture, and the vernacular furniture in one area from that in another. The vernacular material is used to test the convincing force of the art history terms created to describe the artistic expression of the upper-class culture. The criteria previously used to define the specific characteristics of vernacular furniture is called into question and modulated.

The study shows how regional characteristics can be observed as early as in the seventeenth century in many areas, long before what is considered the most prosperous period of vernacular art. It shows how Renaissance features played a crucial part in influencing the inherited characteristics of vernacular furniture right up until the emergence of rococo features in vernacular painting, towards the end of the eighteenth century, and sometimes even longer.

The study focuses on the selection of stylistic features as an active choice. The survival of Renaissance features at the expense of baroque features cannot only be attributed to retardataire or 'cultural fixation' as a consequence of economic stagnation and lack of outside influence. The choice of certain stylistic features over others depends on a number of reasons. The pews, pulpits and other features in the parish churches that served as models played a crucial part. Out of all of that, the village joiner would chose the models he considered best suited for domestic furniture, and disregarded the others.