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Cape Cod House

 

Cape Cod house are a classic style of home found mainly in the northeastern United States. They are characterized by Symmetrical shape with a central front door centrally located on the façade, a steep, pitched roof, and large shuttered windows in a large variety of sizes. The most distinctive feature of a Cape cod house is its shingled exterior.

The origin of the Cape cod house dates back to the 1600s when English colonials settled the area. It was named after the Cape Cod peninsula region of Massachusetts, where early settlers first started building this type of home. Originally, a Cape cod house was a one-room house without ceilings. The walls were constructed with knotted logs and the roof was made of shingles to protect the structure from harsh New England weather. Later, as homebuilders gained more experience, the common design was expanded to include two stories, a central chimney, a smaller attic, and extra rooms.

Cape cod houses became popular in the early 20th century when wealthier buyers began to invest in them. During this period the style was refined with more modern touches. Homes began to have several rooms, although the main floor was often divided between a kitchen, dining room, living room, bathroom, and a hallway. Cape cod houses typically lack ornamentation, which is a key feature of the style.

Today, Cape cod houses remain iconic symbols of New England architecture and are among the most popular styles of home across the United States. They have an attractive, classic charm, and are easily adapted to modern updates. They often have two stories, a full basement, a large attic, and plenty of windows. The exteriors are generally shingled and sided with wood, although vinyl and stucco have become popular materials. Lighting details generally include colonial lanterns and delicate sconces. There are a variety of porch options, from the classic wrap-around to a screened-in back porch.

Cape cod houses are an interesting mix of old world charm and modern amenities. Whether you’re looking for a classic home in a classic style, or an updated modern twist on the traditional Cape cod style, these humble dwellings are sure to delight. Cape Cod is a type of house style found primarily in the Northeastern United States. This style of house traditionally follows a symmetrical style with one-and-a-half stories and a low-pitched roof. Its exterior walls are typically clapboard or shingles, trimmed by a wide band of white trim, and its windows are usually double-hung. The doors feature shutters, and usually have a fanlight over or a Dutch door. Other common features include shuttered windows, a central chimney, dormers, outlines, large window boxes, and a picket fence.

Cape Cod houses emerged in the 17th century as early settlers from England arrived in New England. As New Englanders adopted the style of their British ancestors, the houses often took on the characteristic frame of the English farmhouses. Over time, this simple design evolved into a style of its own. The originator of the modern Cape Cod house emerged in the mid-eighteenth century. As settlers expanded to the countryside, they adopted the style and added a variety of modifications and adaptations to the design.

Cape Cod houses are often quite quaint and charming, and they require much less labor and money to construct than other styles of architecture. They are also well-suited for the mild climate of the Northeastern United States, since they require little insulation or air conditioning.

As time passed, Cape Cods became slightly more complex while still maintaining their original character. For instance, the colonial version featured a single room, while later versions often featured up to five rooms. In addition, as the popularity of the style grew, a number of new building materials, such as brick or stucco, became more common.

Exteriors may feature dormers, or an enclosed porch, and interior floors may incorporate wide-plank wood or tiles. The living room was sometimes set off from the dining area with a French door. The kitchen often included built-in cabinetry, and the bedrooms had sloped ceilings that were often painted white or decorated with plants or artwork.

In the twentieth century, Cape Cod houses were further refined, and a new wave of design brought with it an increased focus on simplicity. Architectural details such as shutters, columns, and cornices were removed, and the exterior cladding often featured more muted colors. Owners also began customizing their homes with additions such as garages, decks, and porches. Today, Cape Cod houses remain a popular choice for those wanting to create a classic, New England look. Whether they’re built to honor the original design or using updated details and materials, Cape Cod houses offer a timeless beauty worthy of preservation. Cape Cod houses are characterized by their steeply pitched roofs, large central chimney, and clapboard siding. With a classic New England long, low profile, these homes have been around since the 17th century.

The traditional Cape Cod house has a symmetrical shape with two stories. The one to two-and-a-half stories of architectural lines includes a central core, two symmetrical wings, and a symmetrically gable-ended roof. Other features common to many Cape Cod homes are shuttered windows, a small porch at the entrance, a covered entryway to protect from New England’s unpredictable weather, and a door set back from the front of the house.

Inside the house, the small front room or parlor is the central living area and often has a fireplace. One wing may be a sitting or family room, while the other may contain bedrooms and bathrooms. In the center of the house is the kitchen, which often opens out onto a porch or sunroom. Cape Cod style homes are traditional and typically maintain their original floor plan. Modifications to Cape Cod homes may include sides-wing additions, an updated kitchen, a new master bedroom, and the addition of a bonus room or extra space.

Many Cape Cod homes are built from local materials, often with cedar shingles or clapboard siding, and cedar shakes as roofing material. Architectural details found on some homes may include gables, brackets, pediments, and porch railings in wood or wrought iron. Cape Cod homes offer many design features to make them energy-efficient, such as high energy efficient windows, double wall insulation, roller shutters, exterior wall insulation, and insulated eaves.

These homes may be a mix of modern design and details, such as unpainted shingles, expansive windows, modern mechanical systems, modern lighting fixtures, and open floor plans. However, the exterior remains true to its classic cape cod look giving a nod to the traditional past. In short, the classic cape cod house design has been around since the 17th century, and modern modifications have only served to make the home more comfortable and energy-efficient. Often with a symmetrical shape, steeply pitched roof, large central chimney, clapboard siding, and shuttered windows, the cape cod home is a hallmark of New England charm and classic style. The first Cape Cod–style houses had three categories of specific architectural features: Weathered shingles, a central chimney, and an asymmetrical front façade.

The weathered shingles on a Cape Cod–style house typically give the home a rustic, aged appearance, which is made possible by the unique method of weatherizing wood shingles. This is typically done by deliberately altering the texture and color of the wood to give it a weathered, aged look. The central chimney on a Cape Cod–style house is considered its most notable feature. This chimney is usually located in the middle of the house, between the main doors and windows. In addition to being a practical addition that helps to heat the home, its presence is also a historic part of the design, as it was a feature that was commonly found in the early colonial houses in the northeast. On the exterior, Cape Cod–style homes have an asymmetrical front façade. This means that the shape, size and orientation of the front of the house is not perfectly symmetrical from side to side. This asymmetry provides a unique visual element that is both pleasing to the eye and in harmony with the architectural style.

The three categories of early Cape Cod houses were nearly identical in layout and design. These included the half-cape, three-quarter cape, and full cape houses. The half-cape featured one and a half stories, usually with a gable roof and two rooms on the main floor and one large bedroom on the second floor. The three-quarter cape was similar, but slightly larger, with two main floor rooms plus two smaller chambers upstairs and a gable, gambrel, or hip roof. The full cape was the largest of the three styles, with two main floor rooms, plus three chambers upstairs and a full-length second floor. All Cape Cod houses featured symmetrical facades, shuttered windows, and central chimneys.