HIGH POINT, North Carolina (02 April 2012) - Durham Furniture will host a reception to unveil the Cupola collection, the latest addition to its Mount Vernon branded line of solid wood bedroom furniture at the upcoming spring edition of the High Point Market.

The brand is produced in association with the Mount Vernon Ladies Association, the owners and operators of the Mount Vernon Estate, home to George and Martha Washington.

To mark the event, estate vice president Dr. Dennis Pogue will speak about the design elements that went into the creation of the new collection.

The cupola on the main house that was home to George and Martha Washington was the inspiration for the latest bedroom group to join the Mount Vernon Collection. Durham will unveil the group at the upcoming High Point Market.

In 1994 he took on the additional responsibility of directing the newly created restoration department, with the mandate to oversee all restoration and research activities relating to the historic site. Five years later, he joined Mount Vernon's senior management team as an associate director (now vice president). He continues to direct the restoration department.

Pogue has published extensively and lectured widely on a broad range of topics relating to historical archaeology, early American history, George Washington and Mount Vernon.  His book, Founding Spirits: George Washington and the Beginnings of the American Whiskey Industry, was published in 2011.

Like the other groups in the Mount Vernon collection, the Cupola bedroom takes design elements from the house and its surrounding estate. The cupola is a famous architectural element from the main house.

Durham describes the Cupola collection as a relaxed and casual traditional style in solid cherry. It is offered in two new distressed finishes - Olde Brandy and Olde Cherry. The antique brass hardware was developed from the Washington cipher and is another key proprietary design element featured on the group.

The group offers two statement beds - a high panel bed and a sleigh bed with numerous and big scale molding treatments.

"The Cupola Collection is the right group for the Mount Vernon line as it takes proprietary design elements from the main estate home while allowing us to incorporate them into a today's more relaxed and casual traditional style," observed Dave Pinamonti, Durham vice president of business development.

The reception will be held on Sunday, April 22 from 4 to 7pm at Durham's showroom in Suite 224 of the Atrium on Main building in downtown High Point.

Pogue's presentation will begin at 5pm. He will also be in the showroom on Monday, April 23 from 9am to 3pm.

The reception will feature a tasting of whiskey made by the grist mill located on the estate that has been making whiskey since 1799.

The spring 2012 edition of the High Point Market starts its semi-annual six-day run on April 21.