There are many qualities attributed to well designed spaces. Scale, proportion, balance and materials are a few. But it is rare to see “character” listed as contributing to successful surroundings. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, character is defined as the combination of qualities or features that form the nature of a person or a thing. But what are the specific features that give surroundings a distinct character?

In design, if the intent is to restore an historically significant space, strict attention must be placed on the specific architectural features that project the precise historic character of that space. The elements of a Victorian parlor, for example, the elaborate crown moldings, raised panel wainscoting, chair rails and ceiling trim, all contribute to the accuracy of that parlor’s character. Often the question arises whether the architecture of the building itself conveys the character of the interior spaces. But that is a topic for another article.

The term “character” can be applied to any space of any age. It becomes the bedrock of all forms of successful rooms, buildings and surroundings. It is the effective alliance of all the critical design elements that create a surroundings’ character.

Today, the concept of character is difficult to define, because its success can be intangible, and can take on myriad forms. Consistency is one contributing factor. A room, a building, or any exterior surrounding is said to have character when it exhibits a consistency of one particular style through a unified set of components. These elements are strengthened through the repetition of their shapes, colors, and scale throughout the layout. A space’s character, then, is difficult to define, but only can be “felt” as one stands within the space.

The character of a building is often even harder to define. Early architecture was identified through specific historic elements, making it easy to recognize a Federal, Georgian, Queen Anne or Art Deco structure. Following the “Post Modern” era, buildings have become a hybrid of so many styles, a specific character is almost impossible to identify. It is this loss of character, those undefinable qualities, that make a space unattractive and an environment one tends to avoid, for unidentifiable reasons.

Which brings me to the character assigned to an environment. People tend to congregate in familiar, comfortable and recognizable environments. When one goes to a mall, for instance, it is understood that the lights will be bright, the floors will be a hard synthetic material, and the signage will be a consistent neon. These are the elements of character, that mallgoers expect and enjoy.

If, on the other hand, you are perusing the streets of historic Middleburg, Virginia, you will expect to find warm lighting, cobblestone streets with brick accents, buildings of a modified scale painted in sensitive colors, with interesting but understated signage. It is this consistency of traits that defines its character and creates surroundings that are sought out and revered. When character is lost, the atmosphere becomes disjointed and uncomfortable, with surroundings consciously or unconsciously avoided.

It is the identification, understanding and maintenance of those elusive intangible qualities that create the surroundings we want to be in, and extinguish those ubiquitous, generic surroundings that become all too commonplace. So, the next time you are enjoying a particularly pleasant atmosphere, take a look around. No doubt you will be experiencing a place of great character.

Patricia Cove is Principal of Architectural Interiors and Design in Chestnut Hill, and can be reached through her website, patriciacove.com.