Country Living Partners with Lane Furniture to Develop Home Collection; Full Line of Classic, Comfortable American Furniture Inspired by the Magazine

Business Wire, Sept 6, 2002

Business/Features Editors & Home/Living Writers

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 6, 2002

Country Living magazine and Lane Furniture have signed a licensing agreement to market and develop a complete line of Country Living furniture.

The Country Living Collection by Lane, developed by Hearst Brand Development and Lane Furniture and inspired from the pages of the magazine, draws on classic American designs and finishes that reflects the casual, comfortable style that is American living today. The line will be unveiled at the fall High Point market, October 17 - 25, and is expected to be available at Lane furniture dealers across the country by early next year.

"We're delighted to be working with Lane Furniture, a company that is incredibly well respected in the industry, to develop a collection of fine furniture that embodies the Country Living lifestyle," said Glen Ellen Brown, vice president of Hearst Brand Development. "Country Living has been helping readers create inviting, comfortable homes that are perfectly suited to their lives for over 20 years. This collection brings the magazine's core identity to life with furniture that is inspired by authentic early American design -- it is made with superior craftsmanship, quality design and a beautiful antique look and feel."

The Country Living collection by Lane features an eclectic mix of pieces that are designed to work individually or collectively in a broad range of interiors from classic to traditional to contemporary. The common thread throughout the collection is American heritage and design. Featuring a wide variety of pieces for the living room, dining room and bedroom, the collection allows customers to personalize their homes with a collected look.

"We've combined our expertise and history in furniture production with the incredible strength and popularity of the Country Living brand," said Skipper Holliman, Vice President of Marketing Lane Furniture. "In addition to reaching our broad network of existing retail furniture stores, we are looking forward to attracting an audience who have an established relationship with the magazine and consider it a natural extension of their personal style. They know that Country Living represents good value, high standards and above all else, beautiful homes."

This is the magazine's third major licensing program; it joins "Country Living Quilts," a collection sold on QVC that is the network's most successful quilt program and the "Country Living Home Collection," a line that includes bedding, home furnishings and home decor and is also offered on QVC.

Lane Home Furnishings is a subsidiary of Furniture Brands International (NYSE:FBN), the nations leading residential furniture manufacturer.

Country Living is published by Hearst Magazines, a unit of The Hearst Corporation (www.hearst.com) and one of the world's largest publishers of monthly magazines, with a total of 16 U.S. titles and 110 international editions. Hearst's magazines are also read by more U.S. adult women than any other monthly magazine publisher. The company also publishes 18 magazines in the United Kingdom through its wholly owned subsidiary, The National Magazine Company Limited.