Is Lea Furniture Good Quality? (Explained for Beginners)
Having babies in the house brings with it a bit of a hassle. It is not just about knowing the suitable diaper sizes but setting up the nursery. A good nursery is only as good as the furniture in the nursery. Getting manufacturers that deal with quality furniture isn’t that easy.
After my wife had delivered our firstborn, I was challenged to set up the nursery. Most of the pieces of furniture I had in the home were too large or unsuitable for the baby. After asking around, I was directed to try Lea furniture.
I walked into the Lea furniture store and had my mind blown with Lea’s range of youth furniture.
Most of the youth furniture on stock is bedroom furniture that is proofed and safe for the kids. You can also find bar stools, beds, bookcases, chairs, desks, dressers, kitchen Islands and carts, storage items, and TV stands.
Due to the low price, I was tempted to shop for the baby and add a kitchen island.
The Lea furniture I bought has been easy to maintain and was used even by the last born years later. However, the company has faced many shortcomings over the years after their products became a health hazard. This has seen them recall different furniture until they ceased operation in 2014.
Lea furniture has managed to attract a lot of attention recently. You may have questions about the recall, why it ceased operations, and where you can probably get vintage Lea furniture.
We shall address all the main concerns to help you answer questions on the lea furniture.
Why Did Lea Furniture Cease Operations?
It was seven years since I bought the baby stuff when I got the sad news that Lea Furniture had seized its operations.
We still had plans of buying some furniture from them, but I guess all we can settle for is vintage. I am sure that the kitchen island will turn out to be an heirloom.
Lea Furniture closed on December 31, 2014, after 145 years of business. Many furniture is made and distributed to customers in the US and globally. The actual reasons for the closure are unknown, but the parent company said it was part of a restructuring effort.
Incidentally, six years later, in 2020, La-Z-Boy closed on its 130 out of 155 manufacturing stores due to the pandemic. La-Z-Boy bought the Lea furniture in late the 1990s. Before closing it down, La-Z-Boy had tried to get a buyer for Lea furniture, but they were unsuccessful.
What about the Product Recall By Lea Furniture?
The problems that face Lea furniture far stretch beyond the closure. The closure was just the last straw that broke the camel’s back as the company met a lot of recalls in 2014.
The recalls resulted from some of their product failing the safety threshold for youth furniture.
Naturally, fellow parents like myself were worried, and even some wished to sell their furniture from Lea industries. Any parent’s chief concern is to keep their child safe, and their furniture failing left Lea Furniture’s reputation unsalvagable.
The first products to receive a recall were Lounger Bean Bag Chairs, as they were deemed a strangulation hazard in 2013.
Powell company recalled approximately 6,300 chairs, as many might not have had a strangulation zipper. The danger posed to the kid was they could open the zipper and ingest or inhale the beats leading to suffocation.
The events were just a foreshadowing of the hell that broke loose in the firm. First, Lea Industries had to recall 59,200 of their Lea Panel, Loft, and Bunk Beds in the United States almost ten times the previous year and an additional 4,200 units in Canada.
The beds had been in circulation since 2008 and were retailed for $400 and $3,000.
The CPSC had received at least 22 credible reports of and two injuries after the mattress support rails were unable to support the weight of the bed.
A six-year-old girl sustained head injuries and faced lacerations after the top bunker fell. Lea industries would replace all beds that were a fall-hazard free of charge, which dealt a blow to the firm’s financial stability.
When their woes seemed to be over, they received another slap in the face.
They were forced to recall bunk beds with bookcases posed entrapment hazards. The recall involved Lea Covington and Hannah Collections of bunk beds. There were about 500 units in circulation.
In August 2014, the company recalled lighted nightstands due to a burning hazard. The recall involved lighted nightstands retailed in three diverse styles and qualities.
It was a fire hazard as the two wooden drawer-nightstands had a power cable running from the backboard to power a halogen bulb rated 20W. The bulb could overheat and scorch the carpet. Only three incidents were reported and with no injuries.
It is not clear whether the later recalls were because CSPC was hot on its heels or Lea furniture was just on a streak of bad luck. This series of furniture recalls eventually ended with the company’s closure on New year’s eve.
Are There Any Problems One Can Encounter with Lea Furniture?
Lea furniture is the hallmark of youth furniture has some of the most well-made furniture generations. They are versatile and can withstand the use by kids who may need to scratch and give the furniture a lot of stress.
1. Scratches and Dents
Anything to be used by kids should be not only strong but resistant to what their imagination can wreck. While many other pieces of furniture may break when given a tough test, Lea furniture often only has a few scratches.
2. Dust and Rotting
All furniture needs to be maintained by regularly cleaning. Dusting and wiping off the water immediately is one of the ways to ensure the furniture remains clean.
However, those that fail to maintain it could have moisture damage the finish.
3. Regular recalls
When I first purchased from Lea furniture, the manufacturer had quite a reputation. The website was sleek with a lot of product ranges. Everything turned on its head in 2013. The first recall wave turned into a tsunami that tumbled down the company.
The wave of recalls put one in a panic mode, not knowing when your products would be recalled. The recalls have created unforeseen problems such as the lack of spares, making it harder t keep the furniture in good shape.
What are Customers Saying?
You already know that I am grateful for the great products I have bought from Lea furniture over the years. I am surprised that many customers online still love the brand, with the value of vintage Lea furniture remaining high.
The longevity and strength of the furniture make it one of the most sorts after furniture. Some customers still bought get the furniture from online retailers who have stock.
Summing Up
Very few companies can churn out quality products for 145 years straight. Lea furniture has been a unique exception to the rule. The pieces of furniture from the manufacturer are strong, well-designed, and durable.
There is still a market presence of vintage and unsold stock found with other retailers like Amazon and Wayfair.