Author: The Wood Spa by Pat Rios

It all started in the spring of 2013. I realized how tired I was to see my house entirely decorated with IKEA stuff. Nothing against IKEA, but after 12 years, I just needed some change. I wanted stylish, original furniture, but noticed that everything I liked from retail stores was way out of my budget. Thanks to Google, Youtube, and a couple of amazing blogs, I was able to discover and explore the world of furniture refinishing, and it was the beginning of my addiction. I now spend my days rescuing old, dull, unwanted pieces of furniture to give them a fresh look so they can be displayed, used and loved again for many more years to come. Thanks for stopping by.

Staining with no Stripping (with video tutorial)

November 27, 2018.Reading time 6 minutes.

I still get this question a lot. “Do I need to strip and sand down furniture before I paint it?” I’m always happy to share the good news. “NO, you don’t”! Honestly, if that was the case, I would never have this job I love so much. Stripping and sanding down a piece to raw […]

Dreamy Ombré Wall – Tutorial

September 23, 2018.Reading time 9 minutes.

Hello friends, I recently shared some pictures of this ombré wall on my Facebook and Instagram pages and was quite surprised with the immediate positive response I had from so many people! I recorded most part of my process because I was planning to prepare a video tutorial on it, but I have to be […]

Furniture Prep – How to Fix a Broken Foot

September 9, 2018.Reading time 6 minutes.

Hello, friends This is a quick post just to show you how I fixed the broken foot of this cedar chest I painted a couple of weeks ago. I received several comments here and on my social media pages, asking me how I had fixed the broken foot, after all, it was not just a bad […]

Before and After – French Provincial Nightstand – Ombré Blending Technique

August 31, 2018.Reading time 8 minutes.

Hi Friends, I was dying to tell you all about my latest project. Every once and a while I fall in love with a piece I’ve painted. This French Provincial nightstand is one of them. I found it at the Goodwill Store near my house, and it was in incredibly good shape, except for some […]

Cedar Chest -Texturized Blending Tutorial

August 19, 2018.Reading time 8 minutes.

Hi friends, I continue my adventure into the blending technique world. There are so many ways to play and explore it. Today I am going to show you one more. The story of this chest is a cute one. Remember this other bohemian chest I painted? Well, even after I sold it, I kept receiving […]