The route
TEMPERA FIORENTINA
NEW FOR 2026
Tempera Fiorentina – from 2026
In over thirty years of work, many techniques have been developed.
Not all at once, but one after the other, like stages of a journey.
I consider them as such: sons and daughters born from my workshop.
Each with its own character, its own voice, its own way of transforming a piece of furniture.
And it is thanks to them that so many people have been able to discover the beauty of patinas over the years.
⸻
Techniques over time
Patina Antica – founded in 1991 → taught in courses since 2018
The oldest, the root of everything.
We only work on raw wood furniture that has been cleaned, sanded or washed with caustic soda.
A cycle entirely based on natural products, from start to finish.
Its distinctive feature is its pronounced crackling effect, which immediately brings to mind the image of a well-worn, authentic antique piece of furniture.
Difficulty: medium–high.
Tempera Antica – created and promoted in 2018
Una svolta.
Non richiede legno grezzo, ma il mobile va scartato molto bene.
Con l’albumina si ottiene un craquelé sottilissimo, elegante, non facile da controllare ma di grande fascino.
Difficulty: high.
Tempera Materica – nata e divulgata nel 2019
There is no craquelure here.
The character lies entirely in the material: stucco and casein are used to create layers and glazes, giving the furniture the appearance of having been repainted several times over the years.
You don't need raw wood, but the furniture must be discarded.
Difficulty: medium–low.
Patina Fiorentina – established in 1991 → taught in courses since 2021
Also created in the early years of the workshop, as a variant of Patina Antica, enriched with the use of casein.
Requires unfinished wood furniture.
The result is flaking and a less deep crackle effect than Patina Antica, very similar to that of well-preserved antique artefacts.
Difficulty: high.
Patina Toscana – established in 2021 → taught in courses since 2024
A real innovation: the first coating designed for already painted furniture.
There is no need to strip them down to bare wood, but they must still be discarded.
It is a well-guided work cycle, with new-generation products that integrate very effectively with the materials of the old workshop — natural glues and pigments.
It allows you to achieve a beautiful crackle effect, reminiscent of that of Patina Antica.
It is a very useful technique, especially for those who do not have raw wood furniture.
Difficulty: medium.
⸻
Tempera Fiorentina – founded in 1995 → course running since 2026
I started using it in the mid-1990s, in both small and large projects: kitchens, doors, paneling, restaurant and luxury home furnishings, apartments, and spaces that required character and harmony.
In the early 2000s, when I opened my carpentry shop, I produced custom-made furniture and furnishings. In those cases, the furniture was naturally made of raw wood, but in complete furnishing projects, there were always pieces to be integrated or transformed, what we would now call restyling, while at the time we talked more about refreshing or refurbishing with an antique flavor.
And that's where Tempera Fiorentina made the difference:
I used it both on new raw wood furniture and on furniture that needed to be completely repainted.
It was a practical and quick solution to bring consistency and harmony to an entire room.
Then there were some pieces of furniture that were truly antique, made of walnut wood, and the customers wanted a patina to be recreated on them that would look authentic, because at first they were afraid of ruining the artefact.
In those cases, I chose different techniques, such as Patina Antica, Patina Fiorentina, and now also Patina Toscana, with a more pronounced character, reminiscent of an ancient artifact that had made history.
⸻
The characteristics that make Tempera Fiorentina unique are:
• Does not cause craquelure. Its strength lies in its glazes and colour nuances.
• It is the only technique in which the furniture does not need to be discarded: simply clean it thoroughly and remove wax and dirt.
• we work with natural pigments and earths, bound with workshop glues,
• thanks to modern adhesives, it adheres to almost all wooden surfaces,
• It is not a flat painting: the colours come to life, with light, shadows and depth.
Difficulty: easy to learn.
Over the years, I have also developed little tricks and shortcuts that help make the work easier and more surprising.
For a long time, this technique remained within my projects, and I never taught it.
From 2026, it will finally be a useful course for many of you: some will be able to enjoy it as a creative hobby, others will use it to repaint the furniture in their home or B&B, whether small or large, and others will be able to turn it into a skill to offer to clients, renovating a shop or house or breathing new life into entire rooms. Or, why not, even make it your future job.
⸻
And since we're talking about the future, I believe that today we all have a duty to sow beauty.
Not simply to contrast it with the disharmony of unbridled productivity, blind and heartless,
but to reclaim those working methods that are in danger of disappearing, partly due to a reluctance to share.
Pleased to meet you
Dario
Information on participating in the course
• Each participant will bring their own medium-sized piece of furniture.
• All course materials are included.
• One month before the course, a WhatsApp group will be created for logistical information (how to get there, where to stay, etc.) and support will be provided for two months after the end of the course.
• Lunches are included.
• The course begins on Wednesday at 2 p.m. and ends on Saturday at approximately 4 p.m.
*examples of furniture made with TEMPERA FIORENTINA
New dates
| TEMPERA FIORENTINA | Italian Language | 21 – 24 Gennaio 2026 | AVAILABLE SPOTS |
Orario Tempera Fiorentina
| ORARIO PER I CORSI DA GENNAIO 2026 Wednesday | 14.00 – 18:00 |
| Thursday | 09:00 – 18:00/19:00 |
| Friday | 09:00 – 18:00/19:00 |
| Sabato | 09:30 – 16:00 |
Write to our email shop@patinastyle.it to register and/or receive further information
