Museum worthy

The Smithsonian Institution is a powerful brand recognized by 94 percent of adult Americans, according to recent surveys. That’s what brought a design team from Bernhardt Furniture to Washington for a treasure hunt through the museum’s displays and storerooms looking for historical pieces to adapt for a licensed collection to launch in September.

Licensing has been lucrative for Bernhardt, makers of the Martha Stewart line. In signing with the Smithsonian, the North Carolina company is looking for yet another hook to entice mid- to high-end customers in a market increasingly laced with designer names.

“The Smithsonian consumer is typically very well educated, they spend a lot on their home, and they like the prestige associated with the brand,” says Heather Bloom, Bernhardt’s director of brand development. The first collection of 50 pieces includes bedroom and dining room pieces and home entertainment units. Most are drawn from 19th-century designs.