BlissHome’s history

In 1978 Mike Bliss and Andy Plant graduated from Wolverhampton Polytechnic with a degree in fine art and started a company called ‘Woody Enterprise’. To start with they made products in “recycled” wood such as Mouth Clocks, wooden postcards and neck ties and Margaret Thatcher Toilet Roll Holders in a garden shed with borrowed machinery. Their first proper success was with a clock made from real toast soaked in clear resin to make them durable. They travelled round the country in an old Morris Minor pick up showing the products and taking orders from specialist shops.

In 1984 Mike designed the cheerful floor standing Daffodil and Tulip Lamps which became a worldwide hit. They consequently moved to a larger workshop in Moseley Birmingham and around this time Andy moved on to make bigger and more spectacular clocks and the Company changed its name to Bliss.

During the next few years Mike’s then girlfriend Gabrielle (now wife) joined the team and helped the company step up a gear with her stylish eye. Many iconic products were born in the next few years including a Berlinetta television which featured on Jonathan Ross’s TV show “The Last Resort” and a two foot wide Roman Clock that featured in the film Human Traffic both of which gave the company a massive boost.

The collaboration with the designer Sebastian Conran, in the late 1990’s produced the award winning Equilibrium range of home accessories and led on to working with Nigella Lawson. Designed in collaboration with Sebastian Conran her Living Kitchen range launched in 2002 is now an enduring success and has achieved phenomenal worldwide sales and much media attention over the years.

The latest additions to our Blisshome design family are Transport for London’s “Underground” using their wonderful archive of early 20th century art , the Hairy Bikers kitchen kit and last but not least Orla Kiely’s range of Kitchen storage.