SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D.C. 20549


                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT


                     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                         Securities Exchange Act of 1934



Date of Report (date of earliest event reported): January 11, 2002
                                                     (December 28,2001)

                      Furniture Brands International, Inc.
                      ------------------------------------
               (Exact name of Registrant as specified in charter)


      Delaware                         I-91                   43-0337683
--------------------------        -----------------       ----------------------
 (State of Incorporation)           (Commission               (IRS Employer
                                     File Number)         Identification Number)




                101 South Hanley Road, St. Louis, Missouri 63105
                ------------------------------------------------
                    (Address of principal executive offices)




                                 (314) 863-1100
                         -------------------------------
                         (Registrant's telephone number)


<PAGE>


Item 2. Acquisition of Assets

     (a) On December 28, 2001, the Company through its wholly-owned  subsidiary,
HDM Furniture  Industries,  Inc.  ("HDM"),  acquired  certain of the assets (the
"Acquired  Assets")  and  assumed  certain  of  the  liabilities  (the  "Assumed
Liabilities")  of  Henredon  Furniture  Industries,  Inc.  ("Henredon"),  Drexel
Heritage  Furnishings,  Inc. ("Drexel"),  Maitland-Smith,  Inc. ("Maitland") and
Maitland-Smith Pacific, LTD ("Pacific") (together the "Acquired Companies").

     The Acquired Assets consist of real estate, real property leases,  personal
property, inventories,  receivables,  warranties, trademarks, patents, executory
contracts,   books  and  records,   permits  and  licenses,   subsidiaries   and
miscellaneous   assets.  The  subsidiaries  which  were  acquired  are  Henredon
Transportation  Co., a wholly owned  subsidiary  of Henredon;  D-H Retail Space,
Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Drexel; Maitland-Smith Asia Holdings, Ltd., a
wholly owned subsidiary of Maitland;  and Decorative  Hardware Solutions Ltd., a
majority owned  subsidiary of Pacific (with the minority  interest being held by
Maitland-Smith   Asia  Holdings  Ltd.).  The  Assumed   Liabilities  consist  of
liabilities  which  arise out of or in  connection  with any of the  businesses,
assets,  operations or activities of the Acquired  Companies  subject to certain
exceptions.

     At closing the Company paid to LifeStyle  Furnishings  International,  Ltd.
("LifeStyle"), the parent company of the Acquired Companies $175 million in cash
and 4 million  shares of the  Company's  Common  Stock.  The purchase  price was
determined through arms length negotiations  between officers of the Company and
LifeStyle.  The cash  portion of the  purchase  price is  subject to  adjustment
depending upon the shareholder's  equity of the Acquired  Companies as reflected
on the  balance  sheet as of the close of business  on the  closing  date.  $140
million of the cash portion was funded  through the  Company's  existing  credit
facility with a syndicate of financial institutions led by Deutsche Bank AG, New
York  Branch,  First Union  National  Bank and Bank of America,  N.A.  while $35
million was paid with existing cash.

     (b) Henredon,  headquartered  in  Morganton,  North  Carolina,  designs and
manufactures wood, upholstered and occasional furniture for the bedroom,  dining
room, living room,  family room and home office in the high "premium"  category.
Drexel,  headquartered in Drexel, North Carolina, designs and manufactures wood,
upholstered,  motion and  occasional  furniture  for the  bedroom,  dining room,
living  room,  family  room and home  office in the  "premium"  price  category.
Maitland,  with its domestic  headquarters in High Point,  North Carolina,  is a
leading  designer  and  manufacturer  of  "best"  and  "premium"   hand-crafted,
antique-inspired  furniture,  accessories  and  lighting,  using a wide range of
unique  materials.   The  Acquired  Companies  will  continue  their  respective
furniture businesses.

Item 7. Financial Statements and Exhibits

     (a)  Financial statements of businesses acquired

          It is  impracticable to provide the required  financial  statements on
          the date this  report  is  filed.  The  Company  intends  to file such
          financial  statements as soon as possible,  but in any event within 60
          days after this report is filed.

     (b)  Pro forma financial information

          It is  impracticable  to  provide  the  required  pro forma  financial
          information on the date this report is filed.  The Company  intends to
          file such pro forma financial information as soon as practicable,  but
          in any event within 60 days after this report is filed.

     (c)  2.   Asset  Purchase  Agreement,  made as of December 4, 2001,  by and
               among Henredon,  Drexel, Maitland,  Pacific and LifeStyle and HDM
               and the Company

          4.   Registration  Rights  Agreement,  made  and  entered  into  as of
               December 28, 2001,  by and among the Company,  Henredon,  Drexel,
               Maitland, Pacific and Lifestyle






<PAGE>


                                    SIGNATURE
                                    ---------




     Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.




                                 Furniture Brands International, Inc.



                           By:   /s/  Steven W. Alstadt
                                 ------------------------------
                                 Steven W. Alstadt
                                 Controller and Chief Accounting Officer





Dated:  January 11, 2001
[{"type": "8-K", "sequence": "1", "filename": "frm8k011102.txt", "description": "FORM 8-K -- ACQUISITION OF HDM", "secsgml_size_bytes": 6217}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "FURNITURE BRANDS INTERNATIONAL INC", "cik": "0000050957", "assigned-sic": "2510", "irs-number": "430337683", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "001-00091", "film-number": "2507822"}, "business-address": {"street1": "101 S HANLEY RD STE 1900", "city": "ST LOUIS", "state": "MO", "zip": "63105", "phone": "3148631100"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "101 SOUTH HANLEY RD", "city": "ST LOUIS", "state": "MO", "zip": "63105"}, "former-company": {"former-conformed-name": "INTERNATIONAL SHOE CO", "date-changed": "19690313"}}
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

                     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                         Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (date of earliest event reported): January 11, 2002
                                                     (December 28,2001)

                      Furniture Brands International, Inc.
                      ------------------------------------
               (Exact name of Registrant as specified in charter)

      Delaware                         I-91                   43-0337683
--------------------------        -----------------       ----------------------
 (State of Incorporation)           (Commission               (IRS Employer
                                     File Number)         Identification Number)

                101 South Hanley Road, St. Louis, Missouri 63105
                ------------------------------------------------
                    (Address of principal executive offices)

                                 (314) 863-1100
                         -------------------------------
                         (Registrant's telephone number)
Item 2. Acquisition of Assets

     (a) On December 28, 2001, the Company through its wholly-owned  subsidiary,
HDM Furniture  Industries,  Inc.  ("HDM"),  acquired  certain of the assets (the
"Acquired  Assets")  and  assumed  certain  of  the  liabilities  (the  "Assumed
Liabilities")  of  Henredon  Furniture  Industries,  Inc.  ("Henredon"),  Drexel
Heritage  Furnishings,  Inc. ("Drexel"),  Maitland-Smith,  Inc. ("Maitland") and
Maitland-Smith Pacific, LTD ("Pacific") (together the "Acquired Companies").

     The Acquired Assets consist of real estate, real property leases,  personal
property, inventories,  receivables,  warranties, trademarks, patents, executory
contracts,   books  and  records,   permits  and  licenses,   subsidiaries   and
miscellaneous   assets.  The  subsidiaries  which  were  acquired  are  Henredon
Transportation  Co., a wholly owned  subsidiary  of Henredon;  D-H Retail Space,
Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Drexel; Maitland-Smith Asia Holdings, Ltd., a
wholly owned subsidiary of Maitland;  and Decorative  Hardware Solutions Ltd., a
majority owned  subsidiary of Pacific (with the minority  interest being held by
Maitland-Smith   Asia  Holdings  Ltd.).  The  Assumed   Liabilities  consist  of
liabilities  which  arise out of or in  connection  with any of the  businesses,
assets,  operations or activities of the Acquired  Companies  subject to certain
exceptions.

     At closing the Company paid to LifeStyle  Furnishings  International,  Ltd.
("LifeStyle"), the parent company of the Acquired Companies $175 million in cash
and 4 million  shares of the  Company's  Common  Stock.  The purchase  price was
determined through arms length negotiations  between officers of the Company and
LifeStyle.  The cash  portion of the  purchase  price is  subject to  adjustment
depending upon the shareholder's  equity of the Acquired  Companies as reflected
on the  balance  sheet as of the close of business  on the  closing  date.  $140
million of the cash portion was funded  through the  Company's  existing  credit
facility with a syndicate of financial institutions led by Deutsche Bank AG, New
York  Branch,  First Union  National  Bank and Bank of America,  N.A.  while $35
million was paid with existing cash.

     (b) Henredon,  headquartered  in  Morganton,  North  Carolina,  designs and
manufactures wood, upholstered and occasional furniture for the bedroom,  dining
room, living room,  family room and home office in the high "premium"  category.
Drexel,  headquartered in Drexel, North Carolina, designs and manufactures wood,
upholstered,  motion and  occasional  furniture  for the  bedroom,  dining room,
living  room,  family  room and home  office in the  "premium"  price  category.
Maitland,  with its domestic  headquarters in High Point,  North Carolina,  is a
leading  designer  and  manufacturer  of  "best"  and  "premium"   hand-crafted,
antique-inspired  furniture,  accessories  and  lighting,  using a wide range of
unique  materials.   The  Acquired  Companies  will  continue  their  respective
furniture businesses.

Item 7. Financial Statements and Exhibits

     (a)  Financial statements of businesses acquired

          It is  impracticable to provide the required  financial  statements on
          the date this  report  is  filed.  The  Company  intends  to file such
          financial  statements as soon as possible,  but in any event within 60
          days after this report is filed.

     (b)  Pro forma financial information

          It is  impracticable  to  provide  the  required  pro forma  financial
          information on the date this report is filed.  The Company  intends to
          file such pro forma financial information as soon as practicable,  but
          in any event within 60 days after this report is filed.

     (c)  2.   Asset  Purchase  Agreement,  made as of December 4, 2001,  by and
               among Henredon,  Drexel, Maitland,  Pacific and LifeStyle and HDM
               and the Company

          4.   Registration  Rights  Agreement,  made  and  entered  into  as of
               December 28, 2001,  by and among the Company,  Henredon,  Drexel,
               Maitland, Pacific and Lifestyle
SIGNATURE
                                    ---------

     Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

                                 Furniture Brands International, Inc.

                           By:   /s/  Steven W. Alstadt
                                 ------------------------------
                                 Steven W. Alstadt
                                 Controller and Chief Accounting Officer

Dated:  January 11, 2001