Commissioned sacred icons for interior designers and architects

In every high-end interiors project there comes a moment when the spaces are finished, the materials chosen, the lighting calibrated, and yet something is missing. The piece you cannot find in a catalogue: one that tells a story, that has a soul, that the client will never see in another home. For many interior designers and architects, that piece is a handmade work of sacred art. This page is for you.

A villa on the lake and a room still empty

Think of an architect from Milan overseeing the renovation of a nineteenth-century villa on Lake Como. The client is a collector who lives between London and Geneva. He has approved everything: the Moltrasio stone, the oak floors, the restored panelling, the bespoke kitchen. But there is one room he cannot decide on.

It is a small room on the first floor, with a window on the lake and a niche in the wall. It was once the family oratory. The client does not want to turn it into a study or a dressing room. He wants it to remain a place of silence.

The architect proposes a commissioned Byzantine icon, hand-painted with gold and natural pigments, designed for that niche: dimensions calculated on the wall, subject chosen with the client, a panel that speaks to the stone and the light of the lake. The studio sends sketches, then updates during the work, and finally the piece, with a certificate of authenticity and conservation guidance.

On delivery day, the client enters the room at sunset. The light from the lake strikes the gold and the niche comes alive. He stands in silence for a long time. Then he says only: "Now this house has a heart."

Why a handmade icon in a luxury project

• It is unique: it is not in any catalogue and will not exist in any other home.
• It uses noble materials: 23¾ carat gold, natural pigments, panels of fine woods.
• It works with any style: in a historic villa it rediscovers its tradition; in contemporary, minimal interiors it creates a powerful contrast between stone, concrete, glass and golden light.
• It carries a thousand-year history: it is Byzantine art, the same as the mosaics of Ravenna, Venice and Monreale.
• It has spiritual value: for a believing client it is an object of prayer; for everyone it is a centre of calm.
• It is documented: every work has its certificate of authenticity.

Where to place it in a villa or luxury residence

• Private chapel or oratory: one or more icons designed for the family's place of prayer.
• Meditation room: a single work as the focal point of a space of silence.
• Formal living room: a large-format icon as the central art piece, the home's conversation piece.
• Library and private study: beside the books, a work that invites reflection.
• Master bedroom: in the Eastern tradition, the icon watches over rest.
• Boutique hotels and resorts: suites, common areas and spas seeking an authentic identity.

How we work together: the process for designers and architects

1. Briefing: the space, the style, the dimensions, the end client's needs.
2. Artistic proposal: concepts and sketches, subject and format adapted to the setting.
3. Creation: the work is made by hand, with regular updates along the way.
4. Shipping and delivery: throughout Italy and abroad, with support for correct placement.
5. Documentation: certificate of authenticity, history of the work, conservation guidance.

Design advice: light, wall, materials

• Light: gold comes alive in warm, raking light. Prefer indirect light or a dedicated low-intensity spotlight; avoid direct sun and heat sources.
• Scale: a made-to-measure icon is sized to the wall and the viewing distance, not the other way round.
• Background: stone, lime plaster, dark wood and textured surfaces enhance the gold more than a glossy white wall.
• Height: traditionally the icon is hung slightly above eye level, in a corner of honour of the room.
• Microclimate: avoid very humid rooms or sharp temperature swings.

For projects in Italy and worldwide

The studio works on commission and ships throughout Italy and abroad. For designers furnishing villas and residences in Milan, on Lake Como and Lake Garda, in Tuscany and Chianti, in Florence, Rome and Venice; for holiday homes in Portofino, Forte dei Marmi, Capri, on the Amalfi Coast, the Costa Smeralda and in Taormina; for chalets in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Madonna di Campiglio and Trentino. And abroad, for residences in Lugano, Geneva, Monaco, London, Paris, New York, Miami and Dubai.

A Byzantine icon handmade in Italy is a piece of authentic Made in Italy, carrying the tradition of Italian sacred art to any part of the world.

Concetta Basile's iconography studio

Concetta Basile's studio, in Sicily between Messina and Taormina, creates handmade Byzantine sacred icons with 23¾ carat gold, natural pigments and fine woods, in the Catholic and Orthodox traditions. It works on commission with interior designers, architects, art advisors and collectors, creates made-to-measure pieces and ships throughout Italy and abroad. Every work comes with a certificate of authenticity.

For portfolio, sketches and project enquiries, visit www.concettabasile.com.

If the icon is a gift, see also the pages on icons as a wedding gift and icons for a baptism.