The work surveys French and English furniture from the Renaissance onward, devoting a chapter to each recognized period and illustrating characteristic forms, motifs, and interior treatments. It describes seating, beds, chimney-pieces, ceilings, wall decorations and upholstery, and reproduces contemporary designs and inventories to show authentic arrangements. Practical guidance for accurate furnishing and reproduction of period rooms is combined with stylistic analysis, line drawings, and translations of historical authorities, enabling readers to identify distinguishing details and suitable materials for each style.