Bill Amberg Studio is delighted to have collaborated with chef Merlin Labron-Johnson on the newly reimagined Osip — the Michelin-starred farm-to-table restaurant now relocated to a beautifully restored 17th-century coaching inn near Bruton, Somerset, and recently expanded to include four thoughtfully conceived guest rooms.

In line with Osip’s sustainable ethos – which saw it awarded a Michelin Green star in 2023 – the majority of materials used throughout the restaurant and guest rooms have been locally sourced and crafted. In this spirit, Bill Amberg Studio was commissioned to design a series of bespoke leather details that would enrich both the guest and service experience.

The collaboration between Merlin and Bill grew organically soon after Merlin moved to Bruton, when he visited Bill’s nearby leather workshop. For the original Osip location on Bruton High Street, the Studio first designed a bespoke sommelier apron, followed by reupholstering the dining chairs with leather and felt seat pads with vegetable-tanned straps to improve guest comfort. This laid the foundation for a long and happy friendship between the two, rooted in shared values of craftsmanship, hospitality and a dedication to detail – which naturally evolved into the new designs created for Osip’s latest home.

Collaborating closely with architects Bindloss Dawes, Bill Amberg Studio developed a sculptural, chocolatey leather curtain for the entrance hall, creating a sense of ceremony while shielding the reception from draughts, and drawing guests gently into the space. The folded, hand-stitched leather curtain hangs in a natural drape form from a custom rail, created by metalwork sculptor Andrew Pierce Scott, underscoring the project’s dedication to craftsmanship and collaboration. Made from European, pasture-fed cattle hides, the curtain has a full aniline finish giving it a soft and buttery touch. As with all of the studio’s work, every element of the design was created to support function while celebrating the key qualities of leather — its warmth, tactility and timelessness.

‘The Rooms’ further Merlin’s vision of Osip as a holistic dining destination, allowing guests to immerse themselves in the restaurant’s field-to-plate philosophy and engage more deeply with the surrounding landscape. In a continuation of this ethos, Bill Amberg Studio also developed a collection of bespoke key fobs for overnight guests. Given the intimate setting and Osip’s ethos of considered, conscious design, the key fob needed to feel beautiful in the hand and look equally at home resting on the dining table.

The final design is a small, drawstring pouch crafted from the same soft, full-grain leather used for the curtain, and weighted for satisfying tactility and discreetly housing the room key within. The design quietly connects the guest room and restaurant in an immersive experience — offering both functionality and a rich tactile presence, in keeping with the handcrafted minimalism of the interiors.

“It has been an enormous pleasure collaborating with our dear friend Bill Amberg on these bespoke pieces for Osip. His vision and attention to detail has always been an inspiration to us, and the quality of his work has quietly elevated our spaces in such beautiful ways.” comments Merlin Lebron-Johnson.