While cassoni were embellished for their ephemeral appearance in town, their daily use also influenced their form. In the homes of Italian newlyweds, lavishly decorated cassoni played a much more modest, practical role than their appearances suggested. Placed length-wise against bedroom walls and at the ends of beds, these chests simply stored linens and jewelry and provided extra seating. Since one side of cassone was always hidden, artisans left this side unfinished. Furthermore, cassoni’s hind legs had flat backs so that owners could press them tightly up against walls. Thus, despite their rather simple functions, the room placement that accompanied this utility influenced cassoni design.

Aside from their practical role, cassoni had a meaningful role within relationships. Since grooms ordered the chests in pairs, many experts believe that the two pieces symbolized the bride and the groom. However, the inside lids of many chests featured paintings of nude men and women who had the names of gods and goddesses from classical love stories. These names suggest that that the chests represented love in general, rather than their specific owners. Additionally, the elaborate paintings on the outsides of cassoni often featured other scenes that illustrated the themes of love and unity, one of the most common being the Garden of Love. Other scenes depicted the couple's shared values, and established high moral goals, such as courage and chastity. However, not all cassoni were painted. When cassoni were merely carved, perhaps the simple fact that two chests completed one whole set represented the relationship between newlyweds. Regardless, cassoni held personal significance for the couples to which they belonged.