From a hobby to work we love
Decorika did not begin with a business plan, or even with candles.
We simply wanted to try something new and creative: making something by hand for ourselves, without big plans or thoughts of production.
Our first pieces were small figurines. We started by experimenting with dry building mixes rather than the plaster we use today. Through trials and mistakes, we gradually learned how the materials behaved.
We noticed some moulds could hold wax as well as plaster. We had always loved scented candles, so we decided to try.
That is how our first candles came about.
Our first fair and a few sleepless nights
We showed our work to friends and told them about our new hobby. Their warmth surprised us. A little later, we saw an advert for a small fair.
It was only a few days away.
We decided to take the chance.
After our day jobs, we spent several days and nights preparing our first small collection. We cast pieces, made candles and gathered what we could. At the end of May 2025, we brought our products to the public for the first time.
We were nervous and a little awkward. We had no idea whether anyone would like what we made.
There were not many visitors. Some of our first customers were other stallholders. People stopped to look, bought a candle or asked for our Instagram, then returned with an order.
But we did not measure that fair’s success by the number of sales.
After the first day, we knew: we had found our work.
We came home full of ideas and aware of how much we could improve.
And we got to work.
A small hobby became a workshop
Decorika is made by two people: Alexander and Victoria.
We both take part in production and complement each other. Victoria loves the creative process of making pieces; Alexander is drawn to systems, technology and planning.
For a long time, we made everything at home. Then queues began to form at our table at fairs.
We could no longer make everything people wanted within our home setup.
That is when Decorika began to grow.
Today, our workshop produces more than 2,000 pieces a month. We have come a long way from experimenting with building mixes to an almost complete production cycle.
We model future products in 3D and make master models and silicone moulds ourselves. We cast and finish plaster, work with wax, pour candles and assemble sachets. We test materials and select the collection’s fragrances ourselves.
There is much more behind the piece in your home than you can see from the outside.
Experiments that never stop
Since starting Decorika, we have rebuilt parts of our production process several times.
A beautiful plaster shape may take countless mix formulas. A candle that burns well takes wax and component tests. Before adding a fragrance, we get to know it, test it and ask customers what they think.
Not everything works first time. Much of what we try never reaches a customer.
Experimenting is not a separate development stage for us. It is part of production.
Technology changes and new materials, equipment and ideas appear. So we keep learning and reworking even the things we already do well.
One thing stays the same: unsuccessful formulas and samples do not go into production.
Pieces you want to use
We care about quality, environmental consideration and the feelings a well-made object can bring.
We do not want to make candles that feel too precious to light and sit on a shelf for years. We love the moment you open a box, notice the scent, want to look and touch, and then actually light it that evening.
We want Decorika to be recognized by more than its logo.
By the surface. The shape. The fragrance. The feeling when you hold a piece.
We are not trying to copy another candle brand. We learn from the industry, take inspiration from good ideas and notice mistakes, while working towards a simple goal:
to make some of the best candles we would want in our own home.
Created in Astana
Kazakhstan’s culture has a special place at Decorika.
We wanted to bring modern interior décor together with recognizable cultural motifs. That is how pieces with Kazakh character entered our collection.
To us, these are not souvenirs separate from the rest of the collection. They are contemporary objects for the home that keep a connection with our history and culture.
And all of it is made here in Astana.
There is more ahead
In a short time, Decorika has grown from experiments for fun into a workshop with its own production cycle and thousands of pieces each month.
Yet it still feels as though we are just beginning.
We want to build a strong, substantial workshop: create our own shapes and collections, develop technology, improve our craft and one day share our pieces far beyond our city and country.
Because Decorika began with a simple “let’s give it a try”.
That is why we know there is more possible than it seems at the start.
We make Decorika because we love what we do.
And we do what we love.