Furniture Brands Expresses Appreciation for Stockholder Support

(PressMethod) - Furniture Brands International (NYSE:FBN - News) today announced that it has issued an open letter to its stockholders.
April 25, 2008

Dear Fellow Stockholder:

The past several months have been some of the most important times in the long and storied history of Furniture Brands. A new strategic plan is gaining traction and changing how we do business, and we are able to show the results. Here are a few of the key accomplishments:



* Phase One of the company's transformation is complete, and today
Furniture Brands has more cash and less debt than any time since
1993,
* Profitability is improving with first-quarter 2008 net income more
than double that of a year ago, and
* A new and talented Executive Leadership Team is in place and
driving results.

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Further, our board succession process will provide directors who are carefully screened to bring the most appropriate talents and experience to enhance Furniture Brands' board, who are truly independent, and who represent the interests of all stockholders rather than the agenda of one. Throughout this important process, we will continue to take input from our investors to ensure the best possible outcome for all stockholders.

The entire executive leadership team and board of directors of Furniture Brands believe we consistently act in the best interest of all stockholders. We are grateful to have gained the endorsement, both public and private, of fellow stockholders and advisory professionals who share our view. We wish to thank all investors who have taken the time to learn more about Furniture Brands and its growth plans and are supporting us in this proxy contest. Our management team is available to continue the dialogue about Furniture Brands and its future so we continue to serve all stockholders' interests.

The strategic plan's benefits are obvious. Less obvious is the positive effect that the ongoing proxy contest has had on our communications with fellow investors. The dissidents have built their entire argument around a set of facts that dates back to 2002 and have not offered any specific plans for the future. While they talk about the past, we've used this as an opportunity to talk about our plans for the future of Furniture Brands. Interest in Furniture Brands is high, and investors want to know more about our plan and how it can deliver value to them. Our recent meetings with stockholders have fostered valuable dialogues on Furniture Brands' strategic plans and intrinsic value that might not have occurred without this contest, and that's good. We'll continue that dialogue in future meetings as well as with a hosted Investor Day later this year, as we did in 2007.

In the meantime, we will continue to focus on the most important task at hand, executing against our strategic plan. We've partly completed a three-phase transformation, and there is much that remains to be done. Focusing on consumers, customers, and competitors is detailed and granular work. It's a job that requires flawless execution and deserves the full attention of our management team, and that's where we are going to spend our time.

We urge all shareholders to vote the WHITE proxy card in support of Furniture Brands' slate. Your vote at the May 1 annual meeting will play a pivotal role in the future of our company as you choose to support a strategic plan that is delivering demonstrated results for all stockholders. We urge you to exercise your right to participate in the strategic direction of Furniture Brands, and we will remain committed to our obligation of driving financial performance and delivering stockholder value.



Sincerely,

W.G. (Mickey) Holliman Ralph P. Scozzafava

Chairman of the Board Vice Chairman of the Board
and Chief Executive Officer



WE URGE YOU TO REJECT SUN CAPITAL'S AGENDA

Do not return any proxy card sent by SCSF Equities, LLC, even as a protest vote. We believe their goal is to install directors serving the interests of Sun Capital and that their interests are not consistent with maximizing the value of Furniture Brands for all of our stockholders. Your Board and management team are confident about the improving prospects for Furniture Brands, and have actively and aggressively considered pursuing all paths for delivering maximum value to ALL of our stockholders. We urge you to reject the director candidates and agenda of Sun Capital and the funds it controls.



YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT -- WE URGE YOU TO SUPPORT FURNITURE
BRANDS' PROXY

Whether or not you plan to attend our annual meeting in St. Louis on May 1, we ask you to vote the WHITE proxy card ``FOR'' your Board. DO NOT VOTE THE GOLD CARD.



IMPORTANT!

* Regardless of how many shares you own, your vote is very important.
Please sign, date and mail the enclosed WHITE proxy card.

* Please vote each WHITE proxy card you receive since each account
must be voted separately. Only your latest dated proxy counts. We
urge you NOT to sign any Gold proxy card sent to you by Sun.

* Even if you have sent a Gold proxy card to Sun, you have every
right to change your vote. You may revoke that proxy, and vote as
recommended by your Board by signing, dating and mailing the
enclosed WHITE proxy card in the enclosed envelope.

* If your shares are registered in your own name, please sign, date
and mail the enclosed WHITE proxy card in the postage-paid envelope
provided today.

* If your shares are held in the name of a brokerage firm or bank
nominee, please sign, date and mail the enclosed WHITE proxy card
in the postage paid envelope to give your broker or bank specific
instructions on how to vote your shares. Depending upon your broker
or custodian, you may be able to vote either by toll-free telephone
or by the Internet. Please refer to the enclosed voting form for
instructions on how to vote electronically. You may also vote by
signing, dating and returning the enclosed voting form.

If you have any questions on how to vote your shares,
please call our proxy solicitor:
MORROW & CO., LLC AT (800) 607-0088

CONTACT INFORMATION

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