Thomas Russell — Furniture Today,
LOS ANGELES — Metal bed maker Wesley Allen is merging its Iron Beds of America

program into its core Wesley Allen line.

The company started IBA about two years ago to compete with imports. The beds were at middle to lower-middle price points not offered in the Wesley Allen and higher-end Amanda Sutton lines.

IBA beds ranged from $499 to $899 retail. Wesley Allen beds launched this market fall between $999 and $2,499.

The beds in the IBA line were simpler in design and came in one or two colors. Wesley Allen offers as many as 40 different finish options. The company said dealers didn’t respond well to the limited choices in IBA.

“They wanted more colors and the colors are stronger in Wesley Allen,” said CEO Maier Rosenberg, adding the Iron Beds of America name never caught on in the marketplace. “The reality is that people know Wesley Allen, but not Iron Beds of America. We came to that realization and dealt with it accordingly.”

There are now 12 IBA models. The company will merge the seven best sellers into the Wesley Allen line, eliminating the IBA name.

The prices of the former IBA beds will rise from $30 to $50 wholesale, which would translate into about $100 more per bed at retail. They will represent the starting price points for the Wesley Allen line, Rosenberg said.

At the ongoing High Point Furniture Market, the company focused more on its growing juvenile or twin-bed program by adding three new finishes — sea green, speckled turquoise and fire brick red.