A decade ahead of the trend, Krista Huebner co-founded Basil Bangs in 2010 with a vision to elevate outdoor living through high-quality, beautifully designed products.
What began with a single, thoughtfully crafted beach umbrella has since evolved into a Basil Bangs Outdoor Living Aesthetic, a brand synonymous with style, function, and durability. At the heart of Krista’s success lies a relentless pursuit of innovation—always refining, always improving, and always striving to create exquisite environments for people to enjoy, whether at home, by the sea, or in some of the world’s most stunning hospitality spaces.
paper mâché sat down with Krista Hubner to learn the secret to success.
Q: Hi Krista, welcome! Can you tell us what it is you create?
I used to joke that if I worked at a tech start up, my dream job title would be Senior Ambiance Coordinator. In a round-a-bout way, I think I am doing that… helping create beautiful environments for people, in their homes, restaurants and at the beach, through our beautiful products.
Q: What inspired you to start Basil Bangs?
Basil was started because we couldn’t find a high-quality beach umbrellas. There was nothing on the market at all, so we created this niche. People thought we were NUTS. There are now lots of players in this space, but 11 years on, I think we’re still the best (yes, I am totally biased!).
Q: Can you give us a snapshot of your creative process?
It starts with a design brief – trying to solve a problem or improve on something. Mike and I are a collaborative design team in respect that Mike’s the technical side, amazing at colours, materials and construction of our outdoor umbrellas, while I develop the creative concept and what I want the range to feel like, as well as coming up with the ridiculous briefs for him to execute!
We’re driven by wanting our products to be highly functional as well as beautiful, and so are always developing and improving on our designs. There’s never a ‘start & stop’ moment, but rather a continual loop centred around design feedback and a desire to always be better.
Q: How do you break the mould and create a point of difference with the brand?
Having a unique point of view is important; working out what sets you apart. There are plenty of copycats out there for the beach umbrellas and outdoor umbrellas, so you need to work out early on what you stand for. For us, we are about form & function, quality and good design. Sustainability is important to us, as a fundamental design layer too.
Q: What single tool or strategy have you found invaluable to your journey so far?
Recognising that you can’t do everything, and there are people who know much more about certain things than you ever will. So, key learning is to ask for help! ask the dumb questions! Don’t let your ego get in the way.
Q: What is your big hope and dream for your work?
Our goals are that we stay small but mighty. Continually pushing our designs and delivering beautiful, high quality products for outdoor living. And to keep working with awesome clients!
About Basil Bangs —
Founded in 2009, Basil Bangs designs premium outdoor homewares that inspire the imagination and enrich life in nature.
Headed up by husband-and-wife duo, Mike Durante and Krista Huebner, Basil Bangs is guided by the desire to make timeless collections that celebrate the vibrant energy of summer while enhancing daily rhythms.
Not only for the home and beach, Basil Bangs proudly works with the trade and commercial sector, bringing sophisticated shade and custom designs to leading venues worldwide.
With a focus on superior materials, bold geometries and uncompromising quality, the company has established a creative legacy transforming art into practical coastal essentials to be enjoyed inside, outside and every day.
