Sunday, April 28, 2024

Cape Cod House Style The Ultimate Guide To What It Is And How To Get The Look

house cape cod style

Houses of this style are often sited to maximize available sunlight, with the biggest windows facing south. This positioning helps minimize heating costs while bringing ample natural light into rooms. Shingle shakes and wood clapboards are additional distinguishing features of Cape Cod-style homes. Wood was a plentiful local material for those just settling on the East Coast. Before pre-milled lumber, cedar shakes were hand-split from blocks of wood using a mallet. A half-story on a second floor was a way for Cape Cod homeowners to gain square footage but save on building costs.

Adding Tudor Details

Cape Cod house for sale: Forestdale custom crafted gem at $1.075M - Cape Cod Times

Cape Cod house for sale: Forestdale custom crafted gem at $1.075M.

Posted: Tue, 14 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]

Historically, Cape Cod houses were modestly-sized homes with one to one-and-a-half stories. The relatively low ceilings made it easier to heat the buildings during the winter. Today, the house style's sturdy, practical appearance maintains its simple appeal.

Barrel Tile Roof (Spanish & Mission Styles)

These additions help give the otherwise simple homes their irresistible charm. Cape Cod-style homes continued to be a popular architectural style after World War II, especially in some of the country's first housing developments intended for returning soldiers to buy their first homes. A Cape Cod house is a low, broad, single or double-story frame building with a moderately-steep-pitched gabled roof, a large central chimney, and very little ornamentation. Originating in New England in the 17th century, the simple symmetrical design was constructed of local materials to withstand the stormy weather of Cape Cod. The space above the first floor was often left as unfinished attic space, with or without windows on the gable ends. One of the most beloved home architectural designs in the US is the Cape Cod style house.

Colonial Revival (1930s–1950s)

Most concrete block (CMU) homes have 2 x 4 or 2 x 6 exterior walls on the 2nd story. If you would like to have a builder construct your own Cape Cod style home one of the ways to do this is by purchasing a house plan. Meanwhile, in the interiors, the low-heightened ceilings and bold shutters account for heat conservation and blocking of harsh winter winds. Despite having a timeless style, Capes have evolved over the years to a few different subcategories, says My Move. This style has become a quintessential American home whose practicality is outweighed only by its charm.

house cape cod style

The pitch (or angle) of the sections can be customized for climates that experience a lot of snow or rain. It's also common for many modern Cape Cods to have an attached or detached garage, front walkway, and back patio or porch. Cape Cod-style houses can come in many shapes and sizes—the charming, modest dimensions of a half Cape make ideal starter homes for many people, while others may aspire to the grander proportions of a full Cape. A half Cape has its front door on one side of the facade, with two windows on the other side (this is also known as a “single Cape”). A full Cape, on the other hand, has a door in the center with two windows flanking it on each side. And if you can’t decide between the two, a three-quarter Cape is for you, with two windows on one side of the door and one window on the other.

Symmetrical Cape Cod House Plans

Inexpensive and mass-produced, these 1,000-square-foot houses filled a need for the rush of soldiers returning from the war. In New York's famous Levittown housing development, factories churned out as many as 30 four-bedroom Cape Cod houses in a single day. The most successful marketeer who promoted the Cape Cod style is considered to be the architect Royal Barry Wills, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)-educated marine engineer. Their small size and scale exuded "puritanical simplicity" on the outside and "tightly organized spaces" on the inside — a combination that Gebhard likens to the inner workings of a marine vessel. Take inspiration from the simplicity, elegance, and timeless appeal of Cape Cod houses and infuse that into your own home decor. The result will be a space that exudes a sense of coastal charm, relaxation, and comfort.

Cape Cod House Variations

Typically, the term "double-Cape" refers to a large Cape Cod designed for multiple families to be used as a duplex. Full Capes serve as single-family residences, and they were originally characterized by an open living room and kitchen in the middle of the home. This central room opened up with doors to several different bedrooms and often a formal living room—but most modern designs place more of the bedrooms upstairs.

As such, people want houses connected to the outdoors, to porches and decks and to views,” McDonald explains, noting that you’ll often find these indoor-outdoor living spaces in this style of home design. Though Cape Cod homes are known and loved for their simplicity, they were ultimately designed for colder, snowier climates — right down to their steep roofs. But, when you mix it with another architecture style, you can create a home that feels authentic to your neck of the woods.

Three-quarter Cape Cod house style

Westchester Modular Homes’ Capes and Chalets are ideal for both vacation or primary homes. Your design can include varied roof lines, dormers, farmer porches, and an unfinished second floor for a future expansion. For a finishing touch, they made small but significant changes to the home’s plain facade by replacing the siding, adding a portico, and upgrading windows and trim.

The origins of Cape Cod houses date back to the 1600s when the first Puritan settlers arrived in America. The humble architecture is similar to an English cottage, but a few features were adapted to withstand the harsh New England climate better. The steeply pitched roofs, for example, are designed to allow heavy snow to slide off more easily in the winter. The Cape Cod Style modular home is known for its sloped roof and classic New England appeal.

'Cape-Cod style cottage' for sale in odd location — on top of penthouse in NYC. See it - Yahoo News

'Cape-Cod style cottage' for sale in odd location — on top of penthouse in NYC. See it.

Posted: Thu, 08 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]

Today, the Cape Cod house style continues to be a beloved and sought-after choice for homeowners looking for a blend of traditional elegance and practicality. Its rich history and enduring design elements are a testament to the enduring appeal of this architectural gem. During the 20th century, the Cape Cod house style experienced a revival, with architects and designers across the country being inspired by its timeless charm. The simplicity and versatility of the design made it an ideal choice for suburban developments and vacation homes, spreading its popularity beyond the boundaries of Cape Cod. Over time, as the region prospered and the population grew, Cape Cod houses began to evolve. In the 18th century, the style gained popularity as a symbol of prosperity and social status among the affluent residents of Cape Cod.

With its simple yet elegant features, the Cape Cod house style has stood the test of time and continues to be a popular choice for homeowners today. Cape Cod homes have a lot of similarities to the more traditional American Colonial homes being built at the same time in colonies farther south. According to Peter, 17th-century Cape Cod structures were modest, one-room deep, wood-framed houses with clapboard or shingle exteriors (which, when weathered over time, turned that quintessential light gray color).

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