Cultural Accents finds niche with ethnic looks

By Susan Pyle Dickenson -- Home Accents Today, 11/1/2006

Huntersville, N.C.-based Cultural Accents just introduced a unique, culturally inspired collection of bath accessories for select Kohl's Department Stores.

John F. Ham, Cultural Accents' president, said the collection was designed around the African tribal symbol for good luck. "We're glad that Kohl's recognizes that minority consumers desire home decor merchandise that is culturally specific," Ham said.

Cultural Accents (www.culturalhangups.com) was founded in 1999 by Ham's wife, Cynthia Parker Ham, in an effort to design and market home decor celebrating the heritage and lifestyle of minorities. The Hams were joined in the effort by Steven Jones, a college classmate from North Carolina A&T State University, where some of the company's Greek-lettered fraternity and sorority borders are now decorating dormitory walls.

Last year, the success of designs such as "Angels Watching Over Me" brought in respectable revenues from specialty stores nationwide. A line of wall coverings that was picked up as an exclusive by Lowe's in 2004 is available in more than 700 Lowe's stores nationwide or by special order. John Ham said his company is at work on a coordinating line of bath accessories that should be on Lowe's shelves by the fall of 2007. He also said the company is working on an exclusive deal for Wal-Mart, scheduled to launch in February, 2007, during Black History Month. The design, a motif of African American children, will initially debut as wall coverings and coordinating bath accessories and eventually expand to include bedding and decorative accessories.