A retrospective of Peterborough designer Alan Melad’s more than 50-year career is on display at NIDU Interior Design in Peterborough’s Depot Square until Sept. 15.
“We’ve been talking with Alan for months about trying to engage the community — how to bring together designers, architects, artists, and artisans to meet periodically, to get a conversation going, and we wanted to showcase Alan’s work for the premiere event,” said Carmen Blohm of NIDU studio. “There is so much talent in this region. We kind of want to create a center of gravity for that, and this is our first effort, and we are so honored to display Alan’s work.”
The exhibit features examples of Melad’s most recent works and works in progress, including small, multi-use tables; a slideshow and video of Melad’s career, and a display of black-and-white photographs tracing Melad’s furniture design since 1968.
“I’ve always liked the idea of small tables, because the functional aspect is pretty limited. It’s like your own individual table,” Melad said. “Even with a coffee table, although they can be pretty large, the size is limited, so the design can be simple, or it can be over the top.”
Melad said his newest works, which he creates at his studio on Route 123, are small by preference, but also by necessity.
“I used to make much larger pieces. In my old age, I am limited as to the size I can physically handle, so small things are appropriate for many reasons,” Melad said.
Melad’s works hold many surprises, including layers and details that can only be seen from underneath. He says his pieces are “multifunctional and easy to move.”
“I love the idea of having a handle. One of them has a finger hold to carry it around; you can move about the room with your own table if you want to,” Melad said. “Realistically, people will probably leave it in the same spot, but I love the concept.”
Melad says he is often inspired by looking back at the history of design.
“I have a collection of design magazines that goes back to the 1960s, and it is really fun to look back and see what was fashionable in the design world then,” Melad said. “These small pieces were actually inspired somewhat by the old ashtrays; the kind that you could press down in the middle and get rid of the ashes. Ashtrays used to be glamorous.”
The piece showcased in the front window of NIDU is one of Melad’s older works.
“The piece in the window is a very old piece,” Melad said. “My design career began in 1968, so 58 years ago. Some of these pieces were done in the late 60’s, before we moved to New Hampshire, which was in 1973.”
Before moving to Peterborough, Melad and his wife, Barbara, lived in Greenville, where they bought a small section of one of the town’s historic mills.
“Greenville is a wonderful, wonderful old mill town; it was heavily French Canadian, and the school was bilingual when we lived there,” Melad said. “We lived in the mill and had our shop in the mill. But then we had children, and the location next to the waterfall was not ideal for toddlers,” Melad said.
Melad got his start building sets and props in professional theater in Boston and New York. In 1968, he founded Alan Melad Woodworking and Design, and designed and manufactured residential furniture. He then went on to establish a full-service interior design studio, Alan Melad Design Associates, for both residential and commercial spaces.
Melad says that even his most whimsical pieces have a purely functional aspect.
“If you’re going to call something a piece of furniture, it has to have some function — even if it’s just a lone little corner, it has to have a functional aspect. Some people call it ‘art furniture.’ Some of the finest furniture makers, particularly in the 20th century, made some really gorgeous, elaborate pieces of furniture that are really beautiful pieces of sculpture, and if they’re really good, there is maybe just one little corner you can rest your body on, or put your drink on. If you can’t use a piece in any way, it should be called something else,” Melad said.
Melad, who has lived in Peterborough for 40 years, met sisters Carmen and Nane Blohm when they came to his studio during the Monadnock Art Tour last year.
“We walked into his studio and loved his pieces, and we fell in love with his house,” Nane said. “It was our first time on the art tour, and we were just amazed.”
“We instantly had a simpatico sense of design, ” Melad said.
Melad gave Carmen and Nane a tour of his home that same day, and the three stayed in touch. Melad recently built shelves for a renovation of Carmen’s house.
“It was just fortunate we all met,” Melad said. “We’re looking forward to more collaboration in the future.”
