AT HOME WITH ARON GELBARD THE BLOOM & WILD CO-FOUNDER OPENS UP THE DOORS TO HIS SOUTH WEST LONDON HOME

Aron Gelbard is the co-founder of Bloom & Wild, the revolutionary flower delivery startup that has been conveniently popping artful bouquets through UK letterboxes since 2013. Situated in Putney, South West London, Gelbard’s light-filled family home boasts original features and richly-coloured feature walls, fusing decadent prints with sleek design accents. As Bloom & Wild unveils a collection of limited-edition bouquets inspired by archival Liberty prints, Gelbard invites us to explore his floral-filled abode...

HOW LONG HAVE YOU LIVED IN YOUR HOME?

I moved in with my wife 18 months ago. We were expecting our first child and just couldn’t resist the lure of Putney, with its plentiful NCT groups, riverside walks and child-friendly brunch spots.

At Home with Aron Gelbard

HOW OFTEN ARE YOU HERE?

I’m lucky that I don’t need to travel very much to run Bloom & Wild, as almost all the team is based in London, so I’m basically here every day! I love cooking and both me and my wife really enjoy hosting, so we try to have friends round (with or without kids) as often as we can.

WHAT’S THE FIRST THING YOU DO WHEN YOU WALK THROUGH THE DOOR?

Pick up my daughter and try to work out how her day was (her vocabulary is still quite basic!). I always try to dash out of the office at 6pm each day so I can spend some quality time with her before it’s her bedtime.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR INTERIOR STYLE?

We’ve tried to make our house unfussy and uncluttered to celebrate what a beautiful building it is. Our house was built in the 19th century for naval officers and the previous owners restored much of the cornicing. We’ve embraced this and made rooms more traditional where we have these amazing features but opted for a more modern style where the house has been extended.

Our bedroom blinds and cushions are made from Liberty Print fabric, which my mother-in-law lovingly made for us as a housewarming present.

HOW DID YOU GO ABOUT DECORATING EACH ROOM?

We wanted to give each room its own individual character. Our drawing room has beautiful shelving and a portrait of my wife’s ancestor, who was Wellington’s Quartermaster General. We’ve tried to amplify the setting with the House of Hackney print on our footstool – which accents our Hague-blue walls – and we’ve added yellow chairs from Soho Home to complement the look.

Our family room is much more minimalist; the centrepiece is our distressed-zinc top dining table, which leads out into our garden.

Our bedroom blinds and cushions are made from Liberty Print fabric (Floral Mawston Meadow Dew), which my mother-in-law lovingly made for us as a housewarming present. The pale green, complemented by the pale powder on our walls, is really soothing to wake up to.

At Home with Aron Gelbard

WHERE DO YOU LOOK FOR INSPIRATION?

Both me and my wife love the fusion of modern and traditional styling, which places like Soho House have mastered so brilliantly. We spend a lot of time on Pinterest and Houzz to create a style wish list before we start looking for new pieces to add to our home.

WHICH ROOM IS YOUR FAVOURITE?

I’d have to say the family room. I love the way we’ve made it really striking, so it feels spacious and open, which is precious in London.

IS THIS WHERE YOU SPEND THE MOST TIME?

Yes. Its openness makes it feel very calm, which is great after a busy day at work.

WHAT CAN WE EXPECT TO FIND WITHIN YOUR HOME?

Lots of activity! We’re always there working, cooking, eating, playing with our daughter, hosting (and even occasionally relaxing)!

IS THERE ANYTHING THAT MIGHT SURPRISE US?

I don’t use my desk at all…! I work hard, and regularly from home, but I like to be around my family when I’m working. The change of scene really helps me to focus and means I’m not missing out on the day-to-day joys of my daughter growing up.

At Home with Aron Gelbard

DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE OBJECT, OR PIECE OF FURNITURE?

My wife and I like to celebrate ‘Christmukah’ as a combination of our faiths and backgrounds. She bought me the most beautiful chanukiah as a gift a couple of years ago and it’s had pride of place on our shelves ever since.

We work closely with Nikki Tibbles. Her Wild at Heart floral displays outside Liberty are flowers at their best.

DOES YOUR HOME DOUBLE UP AS YOUR WORKSPACE?

I do work at home often, but it’s not my main workspace as I need to work closely with my team in the office. Unfortunately, I can’t get away from some out-of-hours work at home, though.

WHAT DO YOU THINK MAKES FOR A HAPPY HOME?

A great space to spend time in with family and to enjoy with friends and their increasing families, too!

WHAT ARE YOUR FAVOURITE LIBERTY FABRICS?

I adore the Floral Mawston we have in our bedroom, it’s soothing yet fun to wake up to.

CAN YOU SHARE A LIBERTY MEMORY?

We work closely with Nikki Tibbles. Her Wild at Heart [wild-at-heart] floral displays outside Liberty (on Great Marlborough Street) are flowers at their best. Whenever I’m in the area, I love taking a couple of minutes out of the hustle and bustle of central London to see what she’s got on show.

Liberty customers are invited to enjoy an exclusive 10% off the limited-edition Bloom & Wild bouquets, featuring Liberty prints. Simply follow this link and your discount will automatically be applied.

https://www.libertylondon.com/uk/features/people/at-home-with-aron-gelbard.html?utm_source=libertystatic&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=180909-Discovers