Holiday At Home With Basil Bangs
A celebration of the experience of summertime and joyful moments spent outdoors, Basil Bangs designs premium outdoor homewares that inspire imagination and enrich life in nature.
Words: Cardia Speziale I Photography: Jacqui Turk
The customisable Caspar Keyhole Valance patio umbrella is the perfect shade choice for windy sites, and everyday commercial and residential use. Photo: Jacqui Turk
The Caspar umbrella with keyhole valance from Basil Bangs. Photo: Jacqui Turk
‘Our new lounger is a piece of magic, by Mike. It is beautiful, tactile, warm and comfy — a perfect mix of form and function that speaks to modernism and Scandinavian design and folds up to fit comfortably in my bag,’ says Krista Huebner. Photo: Jacqui Turk
‘Our Jardin umbrella (pictured above) is a smaller scale umbrella and is popular for people looking for beautiful backyard shade that is reliable and works. It speaks to a sense of nostalgia, and it walks the line of contemporary and vintage effortlessly,’ says Krista Huebner. Photo: Jacqui Turk
Established in 2009, Basil Bangs redefines the experience of outdoor living. Guided by talented husband-and-wife duo, Mike Durante and Krista Huebner, whose combined creative expertise spans contemporary public art and surf-industry product design, the brand envisions and creates products that embody the experience of summertime.
‘We both share European roots and a deep passion for the arts, outdoors and beautiful design’ shares Krista, Co-Founder of Basil Bangs. ‘Mike and I both grew up in artistic households by the beach, surrounded by creative thinking and the small business hustle… it feels quite natural now in hindsight that this is where we’d be,’ she adds.
Offering a holistic approach to outdoor design, the collection boasts quality, style, and functionality, effortlessly blending with any outdoor environment — from a courtyard or backyard garden to the beach, bush or poolside.
‘Basil has evolved with us, fairly organically, in parallel to our own family,’ says Krista. ‘When we had babies, we wanted something that was highly functional and also beautiful that we could use in all those hours spent on the floor — during mother’s group, nappy-off time, with mates in the park, and picnics in the backyard — something that was family friendly but not baby-ish… that’s when the Love Rug was born.’
Their most coveted products are the Jardin umbrella collection, which ‘has been commandeered from our commercial range and suited for everyday use on decks, patios, garden and poolside,’ says Krista. ‘The vintage inspired design features a classical domed shape, luscious fringing and a generous diameter.’
Alongside Jardin in the Patio umbrella range is the Go Large, Caspar, Sundial+ and Double Caspar. Then there is the expanded Patio range that includes a range of canopy designs and frame materials, with designs that feature charming keyhole and sleek straight valances, luscious soft fringes and classic straight edge designs, all available in a variety of colour combinations.
With a design philosophy that values durable materials, bold geometries, and uncompromising quality, all products are crafted from the ground up, using premium fabrics and finishes to ensure the ultimate combination of style and function; ensuring that pieces not only transform outdoor spaces into havens, but also stand the test of time and the Australian climate.
With pieces in the collection made to be versatile for a number of environments and conditions, Krista and Mike also work closely with the trade and commercial sector to bring shade and custom designs to leading local venues around the country.
‘What people probably don’t know or consider, is that so much of what is out there in the world is sourced and then re-badged — which is why it all starts to look the same,’ comments Krista. ‘We design our range from ground up, so there’s a lot of blood, sweat and tears that goes into a new product… but also a lot of hope, care and imagination. That’s the good stuff.’
Learn more about Basil Bangs and shop the entire collection online here.
Contemporary, portable and durable, Basil Bangs Bean Bags are the perfect partner for flexible indoor and outdoor lounging. Photo: Jacqui Turk
“As a business we’re very much focused on being considered. We are focused on being a great business, not necessarily a big business.”
The Caspar umbrella with keyhole valance from Basil Bangs. Photo: Jacqui Turk
The best-selling Jardin umbrella marries vintage vibes with contemporary construction to add style to any outdoor space – from poolside, to patio or quiet garden nook. Photo: Jacqui Turk