While perusing the rooms of Lea Matthews Furniture and Interiors, 5611 E. Morgan Ave., many may not realize the full extent of the services offered by the company. Far from simply a retail furniture store, owner Kirk Mitchell says Lea Matthews is an untapped resource available to the community.
“We’ve actually been told by representatives we have the largest collection of interior design resources between Chicago and Atlanta,” says Mitchell. “It is something special Evansville has access to that not a lot of places do.”
Lea Matthews began in 1990 when Mitchell — then owner of Business Furniture Specialists — acquired Wedel Interiors. He and his staff developed the business into Lea Matthews and the Design Center, which offers designing resources in addition to the retail store.
“We pride ourselves in that we always try to carry different price ranges,” says Joan Fraser, marketing director and buyer at Lea Matthews. “All you see (in the store) is just a tip of the iceberg. There’s a lot we can do.”
Mitchell agrees, adding he and his staff provide services from the “drywall stage on.” From flooring options and design assistance in selecting paint colors to accessorizing a room with floral arrangements and custom made draperies manufactured by the company, Lea Matthews is able to bring together all of its capabilities with its Home Plan process, which allows customers to work with designers at no cost.
“Home Plan is the design-orientated process that we go through whenever somebody is interested in a room plan,” says Mitchell. “It gives the customer an opportunity to say these are the things I would like to do. It also gives them a plan … so when the project is finished, it looks like it was all done and planned at one time because it was.”
“It’s rewarding,” says Fraser, who has designed for 28 years. “You make friendships with the people who you help in their house … It’s a neat thing to do this kind of work.”
Lea Matthews deals with high-quality home furnishings, but that doesn’t mean the store is for only a certain type of person, says Mitchell.
“Everyone of all natures, lifestyles, and price-points is welcome here. We want to make it feel like a very inviting and fun environment,” he says. “It can be intimidating to someone, but it shouldn’t have to be. It should really be a fun process and that’s really what we try to make it.”
For more information about Lea Matthews, call 812-474-4266 or visit leamatthews.com.