Over the last 25 years, Matthew Mead has accumulated a lot of stuff.
As a style guru who has photographed countless spreads for some of the more noteworthy home decorating magazines and businesses on the market (Pottery Barn, Dove Chocolate and Better Homes and Gardens to name a few), and was a food photographer for the Associated Press, Mead has just about anything you can think of when it comes to decor for any room in your house.
We’re talking tables and chairs, bureaus and head boards, lamps and bedding. He’s got bowls and vases, knickknacks and holiday decorative pieces, dishes and glassware. If you can imagine it in a magazine or your home, he probably has it.
For the last 10 years, Mead has been using a close to 8,000 square foot warehouse in Penacook to store all this stuff.
“It’s all home decor related,” Mead said. “Everything you might see in a catalog or magazine.”
Because after staging and photographing a still life scene for a client, all the pieces would find a spot in the warehouse.
“I’ve been doing this for most of my adult life, so you collect all those things because every client wants something different for their photographs,” Mead said. “But I really don’t need all the props in my life anymore.”
And as you can imagine, when you’re as sought after and popular as Mead, you get a lot of gigs, which means a lot of stuff to find a spot for. But now, Mead is looking to downsize a bit. Think of it as going from a modest mansion to a tiny house.
Mead is moving into a much smaller 800 square foot space and in order to do that, he’s having an estate sale. While most estate sales happen once a person has passed away, Mead is alive and well – just looking to purge a little bit.
“I just don’t need 8,000 square feet,” Mead said. “But the warehouse is filled with things to be upcycled.”
Although he isn’t selling everything.
“I found a few favorites I wanted to keep,” he said.
The sale will be held this Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the warehouse, which is located on Village Street in Penacook, as you head toward Boscawen, just over the bridge. 603 Estate Sales is hosting the sale, and unfortunately Mead won’t be there. So no, you won’t be able to ask him to sign whatever you buy.
This is a two-day only sale, and prices will not be released prior to the start of the sale. That just means you’ll have to go.
Bring your own boxes, wrapping materials and shopping bags – and man power, because you will be responsible for moving whatever you buy.
Both cash and credit cards will be accepted. All sales are final. No returns, money back or warranties. All items sold as is.
“I consider it a bit like Willy Wonka because we’re letting people into a place they’ve never had access to,” Mead said.
For more info and photos, visit estatesales.org and search Penacook N.H. Mead’s is the only estate sale listed.
And have fun shopping. If you buy some cool stuff and set it up in your house, send us a picture.
