Over the turn of first and second thousand AD, under influence of East ( Byzantium, Arabia), a Roman -" Romanesque" style was created and spread in furniture making. "Roman" interiors weren't very fancy. A few pieces of furniture. Only a few examples of castle and church furniture survived. They are, beside a drawings, only source of information about itself. They were heavy, massive and primitive. Elements were straight and joined at 90 degrees, what gives an idea about disregarding anatomy of man - example, straight, uncomfortable chairs. Characteristic pieces are chests - trunks, made from hewn logs, reinforced with metal hardware, with a geometrical design, chairs, benches and tables, made from spruce or oak logs - "riven", or hewn, or turned posts. Often decorated with paintings in a bright colors. Chest was the most important item, served as a storage for clothes, weapons and valuables, also used as a seat, long before chairs, which only the wealthy could afford. Chairs were often reserved for the head of the house, or ceremonial purpose. Equipped with handles, the chest was converted to a traveling trunk, and often serve as a bed. Biggest changes are noticed in bed design. From narrow sofas with a headrest, they transformed into shallow box, between four posts - more of carpentry than furniture making. Elements are joined together with a single mortise and tenon joints, secured with metal or wooden pins. Generally, they are similar to designs from previous epoques, (Byzantium), but more primitive. In mid 13th century, roman style gave a space to fast developing Gothic furniture making.
Gothic furniture making style last until 1500AD. Development of cities, growing trade after Cross Crusades and growing wealthiness of certain groups, create higher demand for furnishings. 16th century box chair and settle, were developed from a simple chest. Back rest and arm rest were added and later decorated with the linen-fold. 
The chest or coffer was also an important item in the church and cathedral furnishings.Carved bench ends, screens, canopies. Gothic interior, despite roughness, has some harmony. Furniture are against the walls, chairs and armchairs are set in the window niches. Pieces from that period are tall, often decorated with polychrome, mosaic or heavy decorated hardware. During Roman period, window openings in exterior walls weren't closed. In Gothic buildings glass windows were first introduced. That created inside a "micro climate", differing from outdoor climate. Those changes did influence a construction process, heavy, hewn beams were substituted with a frames and panels. Those "floating" - not glued to the rails and stiles could change, without damaging structure due to humidity changes. Gothic pieces are "lighter" compare to a Roman, visually and also physically - development of a saw (XIV c.) for ripping wood, allowed using thinner pieces for constructing. Gothic workshops are re-discovering a saw, hand plane, chisel. Re discovering -because they were known and used in ancient Egypt, but not present in Roman woodworking shop. Awakening? Maybe, but the real awakening was just around the corner. Perhaps, the most important for furniture making as well as other forms of art. With the beginning of the 16th century effects of the Renaissance began to be seen.
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