Advanced Art President Doug Hills is partnering with a Dallas-based design consortium in response to his customers' requests for lamps and accessories that complement styles of art and colors of furniture.

"We've had just a meteor-like growth in our framed art in the furniture industry," Hills said. When he asked furniture retailers what additional product they wanted, they asked for lighting and lamps that coordinate with the art and furniture.

As a result, he sought out home accessory veteran Julie Snider of Design Sourcing International. Snider and her design team, which includes Dez Ryan, Tracy Glover, Molly Woods and Susan Goldstick, began pulling products together for Hills' company. Snider traveled to China in search of specific looks and exclusive designs to coordinate with Advanced Arts' wall decor.

A soft release of the lamp line at the High Point Home Furnishings Market in October drew better response than Hills expected from his bigger customers such as Coaster and Cort Furniture, a division of Berkshire Hathaway.

"We have some of the major players in the marketplace that are going to purchase from us," Hills said. "I'm looking to do business primarily on the furniture end of things, but I do know there are opportunities (with others) because I'm selling Tuesday Morning, Bombay, Kirkland, Ross and JCPenney now."

The first 50 SKUs will be launched at this month's Las Vegas market. By the end of the month, inventory will be in stock and ready to ship from Dallas, he said.

Hills estimated 100 to 120 SKUs of lamps will debut twice a year along with 250 to 300 SKUs of art for the mid-price level. "We're working closely with the manufacturers' upholstery to see what the color combinations and palettes are," he said. "We're going to do the same thing with lighting."

Snider, who still works with DSI for Montaage, saw Advanced Art's extension as smart, given the industry's current competitive bent. "It's such a natural for them because they do the most outstanding job in art," she said. "We're going to offer the customers a broadly expanded assortment and we're going to coordinate the lighting to the art. Down the road, we'll add in some decorative accessories, some accent pieces. It's really a win-win situation for everybody, especially for the customer."