What began as a childhood love for celebrations is becoming a creative business built around a simple idea,people remember how a space made them feel. A beautifully decorated space can do more than catch the eye. It can set the mood, communicate personality, and, in the case of celebrations, become part of the memory people carry long after the event is over.
It is this intersection between creativity, personal expression, and experience that is shaping the work of Shai Decor, a growing décor business co-founded by Lombe Posa Mugala, who serves as the company’s Executive Creative Director.
For Lombe, the connection to décor predates the business itself. Her interest can be traced back to childhood, when birthdays in her family were treated as occasions worth celebrating fully. Balloons, confetti, decorated tables, and other details were part of the experience, giving her an early appreciation for the role décor plays in celebrations.
As she grew older, she began taking over the planning and decoration of her own events. By age 16, she was already designing and setting up her birthday celebrations herself.
“I had about 30 guests, and we had tables. I had to blow out balloons and set up the tables and do candlelight and all those things.And I think that was the moment I realized, “Hey, I can actually do this for myself.”
What started as a personal creative outlet eventually presented itself as a business opportunity.
The idea for Shai Decor came during a late-night moment when Lombe began thinking about creating something of her own, something more hands-on and distinct from her work as an influencer.
Decorating stood out as an area where she could combine creativity with a practical service. The leap into business, however, came without formal training.
“I have no training. I have not been to a master class. All I’ve ever done is have a vision and make it work.”
Instead, she relied on her creative instinct and a strong attention to detail,qualities that have since become central to the brand’s approach. For Lombe, details such as color, texture, and material are not simply finishing touches.
They contribute to the overall experience a client wants to create. The growing importance of experience in events and personal spaces is changing how décor is approached.
For Shai Decor, the starting point is not necessarily what the company thinks a space should look like. It is what the client wants the space to communicate and, most importantly, how they want it to feel. Lombe says this makes communication a critical part of the creative process.
A client who asks for “blue,” for example, may have something very specific in mind. It could be teal, electric blue, royal blue, or navy.
Understanding these distinctions allows the company to move beyond simply decorating a space to interpreting a client’s vision.
The same principle applies to the planning process. Shai Decor uses Pinterest and mood boards to establish a visual direction before a project is executed.
The boards bring together colors, textures, and ideas, providing both the client and creative team with a reference point. It is an approach that places the customer at the center of the creative process. While elaborate décor can come with a significant price tag, Mugala believes creating an attractive space does not necessarily require a large budget.
The key is understanding the vision and finding alternatives that can achieve a similar effect. Artificial flowers, for example, can provide a more affordable and durable alternative to fresh flowers, depending on the desired look.
The same principle can be applied at home. Simple household items such as drinking glasses can be repurposed as decorative pieces, while artificial flowers, rose petals, or even flowers from the garden can transform a table.
For Lombe, the approach is straightforward: start with what you have and build from there. While Shai Decor is still relatively young, its development reflects a broader entrepreneurial lesson: businesses can emerge from skills and interests that people initially develop for themselves.
Lombe’s first project remains one of her most memorable. Her cousins trusted her to decorate their birthdays, allowing her to experience the transition from having an idea to seeing it physically executed.
That first project provided more than photographs to look back on. It gave her a practical sense of what it meant to turn creativity into a service for someone else.
The company has since developed its offering to include dinner setups, romantic setups, and birthday décor, with both daytime and evening options. The business is also working towards expanding its catalogue and eventually taking on larger projects, including wedding setups.
For Lombe, growth is therefore part of an ongoing learning process. “There will be mistakes here and there, and we’re still learning,” she says. But the learning process has not diminished the purpose behind the brand.
The name Shai, a Hebrew word meaning “gift,” reflects Lombe’s belief that her creative ability is something she has been given and is now able to share with others.
That belief also shapes how she views the business. For her, Shai Decor is not simply a venture built to generate income.
It is an expression of a skill she has carried for years and is continuing to develop. The company’s philosophy is captured in its belief that every space tells a story. And that story does not end when an event is over.
“When it’s all said and done and the balloons are taken down and the event is done, what they are left with is a memory of how beautiful it was and how we were able to bring their imagination to life.”
That may ultimately be where the business of décor finds its greatest value. The flowers will eventually be removed.
The balloons will come down. The tables will be cleared. For Shai Decor, the opportunity lies in turning that temporary experience into something worth remembering one carefully considered detail at a time.
Article by Carol Sichone
