In Conversation with: Amuse la Bouche
Celebrating the joy of outdoor dining
Soutine’s terrace gets a creative glow-up this season courtesy of design studio Amuse La Bouche, known for its artisan textiles and distinctive ceramics. Founder Georgie Morley, the creative mind behind our playful look, tells us more…
Tell us a little about this collaboration
Soutine epitomises a sense of relaxed dining within a creative setting, given its art-filled walls and the neighbourhood’s long-standing links to artist communities. I think my pieces, from table linens to hand painted ceramics, are rooted in a similar sense of creativity as well as being inspired by the idea of sharing food and drink with friends. Our partnership felt like a natural fit.
What was your starting point for the designs?
The soft browns, reds and pink of the restaurant’s colour palette, as well as the building’s architecture, informed a playful collection of coasters, tablecloths, bottle covers and seat cushions, as well as a tote bag for seasonal takeaway picnics. I wanted to design something that felt Parisian but also relaxed – for me, the polka dot motif is perfect for that as it feels free-spirited. I tend to work quickly when I’m designing, generally creating fluid, free-flowing ink illustrations that feel creative and off-the-cuff.
Where do you get your inspiration?
I’ve always admired large scale colourful and abstract artworks, from artists including Picasso, Jean Cocteau and Helen Frankenthaler. Nature is also a big inspiration – I studied in Brighton and enjoyed being by the sea, so much so that I now live in Hastings with my family. Travel is always inspiring too, especially the many trips I’ve taken to Goa, Kerala and Jaipur, where craft, colour and textile production create a sense that anything is possible. I started my career as a homeware designer for high street brands and the travel involved for the job was a fantastic launch point when it came to setting up on my own.
Tell us about your own creative background?
I studied fine art, so my background is quite classical. Growing up in London, I was surrounded by so many creative influences, including my mother, who was a fashion designer and whose business advice I find valuable today. I cut my teeth as a homeware designer for big brands, before starting my own studio during Covid, when the napkins that I created found a following on Instagram. I soon expanded into table linen, accessories and ceramics and I’ve designed most recently for Ottolenghi and Italian fashion brand Pennyblack. Quality is important to me, so I tend to work with materials such as natural linen and cotton, while my ceramics are produced by a factory in Puglia, Italy. I think customers look for joy and perhaps my designs speak to that.
‘To me, terrace dining signifies the end of hibernation. It’s about being out in the world again, seeing friends and family and eating and drinking simply but beautifully’
Georgie Morley, founder, Amuse la Bouche
How would you describe your design style?
Playful. I paint with one colour to start, drawing on A1 paper so I can use my whole arm to create. I like to have inspirational prompts around me – in the case of Soutine, that involved a mood board that included images of the restaurant, its architecture and small details such as tiles. Once I’ve settled on the bones of the design, I’ll scan my work digitally and start to edit and layer. I always hope that my work makes people smile – I know that some of my textiles, such as tea towels, end up being framed, which makes me happy.
How do you like to decorate your own table at home whether dining inside or out?
I’m always drawn to the idea of relaxed, spontaneous dining, whether that’s heading to an oyster bar on the beach or gathering extended family and friends around the table at home alongside my husband, our small daughter and our Labrador. There’s always a big tablecloth involved, sharing plates and a vase of flowers gathered from the garden. I have a cobalt blue tablecloth that I particularly love because it reminds me of sea and sky.
Soutine x Amuse la Bouche terrace: June – August inclusive
