"If you want an Old World feel, straight color is often too one-dimensional," Miles explains. "Glazing is not about making a color statement; it’s about creating texture or depth – variation and age."

1. Start by pouring an oil-based glazing liquid into a large bucket. "A little goes a long way," Miles says. She used only 1/2 quart for this 12x12-foot room.

2. Thin the glaze with paint thinner (1/2 cup, in this instance) until it has the consistency of a thin maple syrup.

3. Add pigments. Miles used a combination of artist acrylics – Naphthol Red (medium), Raw Umber, and White – to get a pink terra cotta-colored glaze.

"Mix the darker colors first, then add white to get to the shade you want," she says. "Start small – just a dollop of each – mixing with a stir stick along the way."

Miles uses acrylics because they are easy to work with: "If you realize you’ve made a terrible mess, just put paint thinner on a rag, wipe it off the wall, and, voila, you’ve got a clean slate again."

4. Slather on your custom glaze with a paintbrush – one section at a time. "By the time you finish one wall, you’re ready to go back and wipe the glaze."

5. Use a trowel (similar to a putty knife) to wipe the applied glaze from the wall to create patina. "The wider, the better, because you can cover more surface." As you go, carry a big wad of paper towels to wipe the trowel blade.

6. Repeat until desired look is achieved.