Exhibit 10(a)


                             FURNITURE BRANDS 
                           1992 STOCK OPTION PLAN

     1.   Objectives of the Plan

         The Furniture Brands 1992 Stock Option Plan (the  Plan ) of
     Furniture Brands International, Inc. (the  Corporation ) is
     intended to encourage and provide opportunities for ownership of
     the Corporation s Common Stock by such key employees (including
     officers) of the Corporation and any subsidiaries of the
     Corporation as the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the
      Board ) or a committee thereof constituted for this purpose may
     from time to time determine.  The Plan is also intended to
     provide incentives for such employees to put forth maximum
     efforts for the successful operation of the Corporation and its
     subsidiaries. By extending to such key employees the opportunity
     to acquire proprietary interests in the Corporation and to
     participate in its success, the Plan may be expected to benefit
     the Corporation and its shareholders by making it possible for
     the Corporation and its subsidiaries to attract and retain the
     best available talent and by providing such key employees with
     added incentives to increase the value of the Corporation s
     stock.

     2.   Stock Subject to the Plan

          There are reserved for issue under the Plan 5,500,000 shares
     of the Common Stock, without nominal or par value, of the
     Corporation (the  Shares ). Such Shares may be, in whole or in
     part, as the Board shall from time to time determine, authorized
     but unissued Shares, or issued Shares which shall have been
     reacquired by the Corporation.

     3.   Administration

           Subject to the express provisions of the Plan, the Plan
     shall be administered by the Executive Compensation and Stock
     Option Committee of the Board (the  Committee ), and the
     Committee shall have plenary authority, in its discretion, to
     determine the individuals to whom, and the time or times at
     which, options, if any, shall be granted, the type of option to
     be granted (e.g., qualified or nonqualified) and the number of
     Shares to be subject to an option.   Subject to the express
     provisions of the Plan, the Committee shall also have plenary
     authority to interpret the Plan, to prescribe, amend and rescind
     rules and regulations regarding it, and to take whatever action
     is necessary to carry out the purposes of the Plan. The
     Committee s determinations on matters referred to in this Section
     3 shall be conclusive.<PAGE>

     4.   The Committee

           The Committee shall consist of three or more members of the
     Board. The Committee shall be appointed by the Board, which may
     from time to time designate the number to serve on the Committee,
     appoint members of the Committee in substitution for members
     previously appointed and fill vacancies, however caused, in the
     Committee.  No member of the Board while a member of the
     Committee shall be eligible to receive an option under the Plan.
     The Committee shall elect one of its members as its Chairman and
     shall hold its meetings at such times and places as it may
     determine.  A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum.
     Any determination reduced to writing and signed by all the
     members of the Committee shall be fully as effective as if it had
     been made by a majority vote at a meeting duly called and held.
     The Committee may appoint a secretary, shall keep minutes of its
     meetings and shall make such rules and regulations for the
     conduct of its business as it shall deem advisable.

     5.   Eligibility

          Options may be granted only to key employees (which term as
     used herein includes officers) of the Corporation and of its
     subsidiary corporations (the  subsidiaries ) as the term
      subsidiary corporation  is defined in Section 424(f) of the
     Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, (the  Code ). For the
     purposes of the Plan the term  employee  shall be an individual
     with an  employment relationship  as defined in Section 421
     (Regs. Section 1.421-7(h)) of the Code.  A member of the Board or
     of the board of directors of a subsidiary who is not also an
     employee of the Corporation or of one of its subsidiaries shall
     not be eligible to receive an option.  Nothing contained in the
     Plan shall be construed to limit the right of the Corporation to
     grant options otherwise than under the Plan in connection with
     (i) the employment of any person,(ii) the acquisition, by
     purchase, lease, merger, consolidation or otherwise, of the
     business or assets of another corporation, firm or association,
     including grants to employees thereof who become employees of the
     Corporation or a subsidiary, or (iii) other proper corporate
     purposes.

     6.   Nonqualified Stock Options

          Unless it is designated a qualified option by the Committee,
     any option granted under the Plan shall be nonqualified and shall
     be in such form as the Committee may from time to time approve. 
     Any such nonqualified option shall be subject to the following
     terms and conditions and shall contain such additional terms and
     conditions, not inconsistent with the provisions of the Plan, as
     the Committee shall deem desirable:

          (a)   Option Price.  The per share purchase price of Shares
     purchasable under an option shall be determined by the Committee
     in accordance with procedures established by the Committee;<PAGE>

     provided however, that except for options granted to replace pre-
     existing compensation or benefit programs, in no event shall more
     than 10% of the shares reserved for issue under the Plan be the
     subject of (i) options granted at less than fair market value on
     the date of grant, and (ii) new options substituted for
     previously granted options having higher option prices as
     provided for in Section 9 hereof.

          (b)   Option Period.  The term of option shall be fixed by
     the Committee, but no option shall be exercisable after the
     expiration of ten years from the date the option is granted.

          (c)   Exercisability.  Options shall be exercisable at such
     time or times as determined by the Committee at or subsequent to
     grant; no option shall be exercisable during the year ending on
     the day before the first anniversary date of the granting of the
     option.  The proceeds of sale of Shares subject to option are to
     be added to the general funds of the Corporation.  Except as
     provided in Subsections (f), (g) and (h) of this Section 6, no
     option may be exercised at any time unless the holder is then a
     regular employee of the Corporation or a subsidiary and has
     continuously remained an employee at all times since the date of
     granting of the option. If any option granted under the Plan
     shall expire or terminate for any reason without ever having been
     exercised in full, the unissued shares subject thereto shall
     again be available for the purposes of the Plan.

          (d)   Method of Exercise.  Options which are exercisable may
     be exercised in whole or in part at any time during the option
     period, by completing and delivering to the Corporation an option
     exercise form provided by the Corporation specifying the number
     of Shares to be purchased. Such form shall be accompanied by
     payment in full of the purchase price in cash. No Shares shall be
     issued until full payment therefor has been made.

          (e)   Nontransferability of Options.  No option shall be
     transferable by the optionee otherwise than by will or by the
     laws of descent and distribution, and such options shall be
     exercisable, during the optionee s lifetime, only by the
     optionee, provided, however, that with respect to options granted
     on or after January 29, 1999, the Committee may, in its sole
     discretion, authorize all or a portion of the options granted to
     an optionee to be on terms which permit transfer to:  (i) the
     spouse, children or grandchildren of the optionee ( Immediate
     Family Members ), (ii) a trust or trusts for the exclusive
     benefit of Immediate Family Members, or (iii) a partnership in
     which Immediate Family Members are the only partners, provided
     that subsequent transfers of transferred options shall be
     prohibited except by will or the laws of descent and
     distribution.  Following transfer, any such options shall
     continue to be subject to the same terms and conditions as were
     applicable immediately prior to transfer.

          (f)   Termination by Reason of Death.  If an optionee s
     employment by the Corporation or any subsidiary terminates by
     reason of death, as to those Shares with respect to which the
     option had become exercisable (under the provisions of the
     particular option) on the date of death, the stock option may
     thereafter be exercised by the legal representative of the estate
     or by the legatee of the optionee under the will of the optionee,
     during a period of six months from the date of such death or
     until the expiration of the stated period of the option,
     whichever period is the shorter.

         (g)   Termination by Reason of Retirement or Permanent
     Disability.  If an optionee s employment by the Corporation or
     any subsidiary terminates by reason of retirement or permanent
     disability, as to those Shares with respect to which the option
     had become exercisable (under the provisions of the particular
     option) on the date of termination of employment, any stock
     option held by such optionee may thereafter be exercised during a
     period of three months from the date of such termination of
     employment or the expiration of the stated period of the option,
     whichever period is the shorter; provided, however, that if the
     optionee dies within such three-month period, any unexercised
     stock option held by such optionee shall thereafter be
     exercisable to the extent to which it was exercisable at the time
     of death for a period of six months from the date of such death
     or for the stated period of the option, whichever period is the
     shorter.

          (h)   Other Termination.  If an optionee s employment
     terminates for any reason other than death, permanent disability,
     or retirement, as to those Shares with respect to which the
     option had become exercisable (under the provisions of the
     particular option) on the date of termination of employment, any
     option held by such optionee may thereafter be exercised during a
     period of one month from the date of such termination of
     employment or the expiration of the stated period of the option,
     whichever period is shorter; provided, however, that if the
     optionee dies within such one-month period, any unexercised
     option held by such optionee shall thereafter be exercisable to
     the extent to which is was exercisable at the time of death for a
     period of six months from the date of such death or for the
     stated period of the option, whichever period is the shorter.

          (i)   Option Buyout.  The Committee may at any time offer to
     repurchase an option (other than an option which has been held
     for less than six months by an optionee who is subject to Section
     16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) based on such terms
     and conditions as the Committee shall establish and communicate
     to the optionee at the time that such offer is made.

          (j)   Special Provisions Governing Options Granted on or
     after January 29, 1999.  Notwithstanding the provisions of
     Sections 6(f), 6(g) and 6(h), above, the following provisions
     will apply to the exercise of options granted on or after January
     29, 1999 ( 1999 Options ):<PAGE>





           (1)   If an optionee s employment terminates by reason of
     retirement, that optionee may exercise any 1999 Option at any
     time within three (3) years after such termination, but only to
     the extent the optionee was entitled to exercise at the date of
     such termination, and in any event not after the expiration of
     the stated period of the 1999 Option; provided however, that the
     Committee may, at or subsequent to grant, establish such longer
     or shorter period as it may determine in its discretion, but in
     any event not longer than five (5) years nor shorter than one (1)
     year after the date of such termination.  For purposes of this
     Plan,  retirement  is defined as termination of service with
     Furniture Brands at or after attainment of age 55 with not less
     than ten years of service.

         (2)   If an optionee s employment terminates by reason of
     disability, that optionee may exercise any 1999 Option at any
     time within one (1) year after such termination, but only to the
     extent the optionee was entitled to exercise at the date of such
     termination, and in any event not after the expiration of the
     stated period of the 1999 Option.  For purposes of this Plan,
      disability  means the incapacity to attend to and perform
     effectively one s duties and responsibilities which continues for
     at least 26 weeks after its commencement, as determined by a
     physician selected by Furniture Brands.  A person shall be
     considered disabled only if he or she furnishes such proof of
     disability as the Committee may require.

        (3)   If an optionee s employment terminates by reason of
     death while he or she is employed by Furniture Brands, or within
     three (3) months after termination of such employment (or one (1)
     year in the case of the termination of employment or service by
     reason of disability, or five (5) years in the case of
     termination of employment or service by reason of retirement),
     any 1999 Option held by an optionee may be exercised by a legatee
     or legatees under the optionee s last will, or by personal
     representatives or distributees, at any time within one (1) year
     after death, but only to the extent that the optionee was
     entitled to exercise at the date of such death, and in any event
     not after the expiration of the stated period of the 1999 Option.

         (4)   If an optionee s employment terminates for any reason
     other than retirement, disability or death, that optionee may
     exercise any 1999 Option at any time within three (3) months
     after such termination, but only to the extent the optionee was
     entitled to exercise at the date of such termination, and in any
     event not after the expiration of the stated period of the 1999
     Option.

     7.   Qualified Stock Options

          Any option granted under the Plan shall, at the discretion
     of the Committee, qualify as an incentive stock option as defined
     in Section 422(b) of the Code and shall be in such form as the
     Committee may from time to time approve.  Any such qualified<PAGE>





     option shall be subject to the following terms and conditions in
     addition to those set forth in Section 6 and shall contain such
     additional terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the
     provisions of the Plan, as the Committee shall deem desirable:

          (a)   Eligibility.  Incentive stock options shall not be
     granted to any individual who, at the time the option is granted,
     owns stock possessing more than ten percent of the total combined
     voting power of all classes of stock of the Corporation or its
     parent corporation (as the term  parent corporation  is defined
     in Section 424(e) of the Code) or the subsidiaries unless: l) the
     option price is at least 110% of the fair market value of the
     stock subject to the option and 2) the option states that it is
     not exercisable after the expiration of five years from the date
     of its grant.

           (b)   Limitation on Exercise of Options.  The maximum
     aggregate fair market value (determined at the time an option is
     granted) of the Shares with respect to which qualified options
     are exercisable for the first time by any Participant during any
     calendar year (under all plans of the Company and its parent
     corporation and subsidiaries) shall not exceed $100,000. If the
     provisions of this Section limit the exercisability of certain
     qualified options which would otherwise become exercisable on
     account of termination of employment or a change of control, the
     Committee, in its sole discretion, shall determine the times at
     which such qualified options become exercisable so that the
     provisions of this Section 7(b) are not violated; provided that
     in no event shall any qualified option be exercisable more than
     ten (10) years from the date of granting thereof (five (5) years
     in the case of qualified options granted to ten percent
     shareholders (described in Section 7(a)).

     8.   Adjustment Upon Changes in Capitalization, Etc.

           The aggregate number and class of shares reserved under the
     Plan, the number and class of shares subject to each option
     granted pursuant to the Plan and/or the option price per share
     payable under each such option shall be appropriately and
     equitably adjusted in the event of:  any reclassification or
     increase or decrease in the number of the issued Shares of the
     Corporation by reason of a split-up or consolidation of Shares;
     the payment of a stock dividend; a recapitalization; a
     combination or exchange of Shares; a spin-off; or any like
     capital adjustment.

           If the Corporation shall be reorganized or shall be merged
     into or consolidated with any other corporation, each option, if
     any, then outstanding under the Plan shall thereafter apply to
     such number and kind of securities as would have been issuable by
     reason of such reorganization, merger or consolidation to a
     holder of the number of Shares which were subject to the option,
     if any, immediately prior to such reorganization, merger or
     consolidation.<PAGE>





          In the event of the proposed dissolution or liquidation of
     the Corporation or in the event of a proposed sale of
     substantially all of the assets of the Corporation, each option,
     if any, outstanding under the Plan shall terminate as of a date
     to be fixed by the Committee and approved by the Board upon not
     less than thirty days  written notice to the optionee; provided,
     however, that any option granted at least six months prior to
     such event, if any, of any optionee who has been an employee for
     one year or more prior to the date of such notice shall be
     accelerated and such optionee shall be entitled to exercise such
     option, in whole or in part, without regard to any installment
     provision of the option, and provided further that said exercise
     shall be made prior to the termination date fixed in said notice.

          All adjustments under this Section 8 shall be made by the
     Committee, subject to the approval of the Board, which action
     shall be final and conclusive.

          Anything to the contrary notwithstanding, upon a Change of
     Control(as hereinafter defined) which occurs after the first
     anniversary of the Effective Date (as defined in Section 12),
     each option granted at least six months prior to such Change of
     Control shall become immediately exercisable in full.  As used
     herein,  Change of Control  shall mean any of the following
     events which occur more than one year after the first anniversary
     of the Effective Date:

          (a)   The acquisition (other than from the Corporation) by
     any person, entity or  group , within the meaning of Section
     13(d)(3) or 14(d)(2) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the
      Exchange Act ), excluding, for this purpose, the Corporation or
     its subsidiaries, or any employee benefit plan of the Corporation
     or its subsidiaries, of beneficial ownership (within the meaning
     of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) of 20% or more
     of either the then outstanding Shares or the combined voting
     power of the Corporation s then outstanding voting securities
     entitled to vote generally in the election of directors; or

          (b)   Individuals who, as of the first anniversary of the
     Effective Date, constitute the Board (as of such date, the
      Incumbent Board ), cease for any reason to constitute at least a
     majority of the Board, provided that any person becoming a
     director subsequent to the first anniversary of the Effective
     Date whose election, or nomination for election by the
     Corporation s stockholders, was approved by a vote of at least a
     majority of the directors then comprising the Incumbent Board
     (other than an election or nomination of an individual whose
     initial assumption of office is in connection with an actual or
     threatened election contest relating to the election of the
     directors of the Corporation, as such terms are used in Rule 14
     all of Regulation 14A promulgated under the Exchange Act) shall
     be considered as though such person were a member of the
     Incumbent Board; or<PAGE>





          (c)  Approval by the stockholders of the Corporation of a
     reorganization, merger or consolidation, in each case, with
     respect to which persons who were the stockholders of the
     Corporation immediately prior to such reorganization, merger or
     consolidation do not, immediately thereafter, own, directly or
     indirectly, more than 50% of the combined voting power entitled
     to vote generally in the election of directors of the
     reorganized, merged or consolidated company s then outstanding
     voting securities, or a liquidation or dissolution of the
     Corporation or the sale of all or substantially all of the assets
     of the Corporation.

     9.   Amendments and Termination

          The Board may amend, alter, or discontinue the Plan, but no
     amendment, alteration, or discontinuation shall be made which
     would impair the rights of an optionee under an option without
     the optionee s consent, or which without the approval of the
     stockholders would: except as is provided in Section 8 of the
     Plan, increase the total number of Shares reserved for the
     purpose of the Plan; decrease the option price of any option to
     less than 100% of the fair market value on the date of the
     granting of the option; change the employees or class of
     employees eligible to participate in the Plan; or extend the
     maximum option period under Section 6(b) of the Plan.

          The Committee may amend the terms of any option theretofore
     granted, prospectively or retroactively, but no such amendment
     shall impair the rights of any optionee without the consent of
     the optionee.  The Committee may also substitute new options for
     previously granted options, including substitution for previously
     granted options having higher option prices, subject to the
     limitation set forth in Section 6(a) hereof.

     10.  General Provisions

           (a)  The Committee may require each person purchasing
     Shares pursuant to an option under the Plan to represent to and
     agree with the Corporation in writing that the optionee is
     acquiring the Shares without a view to distribution thereof.  The
     certificates for such Shares may include any legend which the
     Committee deems appropriate to reflect any restrictions on
     transfer.

            (b)  All certificates for Shares delivered under the Plan
     shall be subject to such stock-transfer orders and other
     restrictions as the Committee may deem advisable under the rules,
     regulations, and other requirements of the Securities and
     Exchange Commission, any stock exchange upon which the Shares are
     then listed, and any applicable federal or state securities law,
     and the Committee may cause a legend or legends to be put on any
     such certificates to make appropriate reference to such
     restrictions.<PAGE>





           (c)   Nothing contained in this Plan shall prevent the
     Board from adopting other or additional compensation
     arrangements, subject to stockholder approval if such approval is
     required; and such arrangements may be either generally
     applicable or applicable only in specific cases.

     11.  Taxes

            Following exercise of an option, the optionee shall, no
     later than the date as of which an amount related to the option
     exercise first becomes includable in the gross income of the
     optionee for federal income tax purposes, pay to the Corporation,
     or make arrangements satisfactory to the Corporation regarding
     payment of, any federal, state, or local taxes of any kind
     required by law to be withheld with respect to such amount and
     the Corporation and its subsidiaries shall, to the extent
     permitted by law, have the right to deduct any such taxes from
     any payment of any kind otherwise due to the optionee.

     12.   Effective Date of Plan

             This Plan shall be effective on the effective date of the
     Joint Plan of Reorganization of the Corporation and its
     subsidiaries ( Effective Date ). However, no option granted under
     this Plan may be exercised in whole or in part until this Plan is
     approved by the holders of a majority of the outstanding stock of
     the Corporation entitled to vote on the issue, which approval
     must occur within the twelve-month period after the Effective
     Date. In the event such approval is not forthcoming within the
     time specified, this Plan and any options granted pursuant to it
     shall be null and void.

     13.   Term of Plan

             No option shall be granted pursuant to the Plan more than
     10 years after the Plan is approved by the Board of Directors of
     the Corporation, but options theretofore granted may extend
     beyond and be exercised after that date.


     Adopted by the Board of Directors on January 20, 1992 (2,500,000
     shares reserved for issuance)
     Amended by the Board of Directors on January 26, 1993 (increase
     shares to 3,500,000
        and allow for below-market grants)
     Approved by the stockholders on May 5, 1993
     Amended by the Board of Directors on October 19, 1994 (spin-off
     adjustments)
     Amended by the Board of Directors on January 30, 1996 
        and approved by the stockholders on April 23, 1996 (increase
     shares to 4,500,000)
     Amended by the Board of Directors on March 1, 1996 (change name)
     Amended by the Board of Directors on April 23, 1996 (limit below-
     market grants to 10%)



     Amended by the Board of Directors on January 28, 1997
        and approved by the stockholders on April 29, 1997 (increase
     shares to 5,500,000)
     Amended by the Board of Directors on January 29, 1998 (accord
     termination and transferability
        provisions with 1999 Plan)<PAGE>