Cape cod house an architectural style of simplicity and elegance!

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1. Cape Cod House: An Architectural
Style of Simplicity and Elegance!
AHousewithasimple,timelessclean-linedsilhouetteandsymmetric
layout.Ahomefilledwithtraditionalcultureandcozinesswithabeachy
styletwist.Afterreadingthis,whatstyleofhomecomestoyourmind?
Yes,we’retalkingabouttheCapeCodhomes.Theyhavebeenaroundfor
centuries;still,theycontinuetoenchantus.CapeCodarchitectureisa
wellknownandeasilyrecognizablestyleofAmericanarchitecture.Ifyou
askedanykidtodrawapictureofahouse,surelyhe’lldrawaCapeCod
cottage!
NamedaftertheMassachusettscoastalregion,CapeCodarchitecture
consistsofasimplehouseplan,yetitisquitepopular.Thisarchitectureis
mainlyfoundinNewEnglandasitisthesignaturestylethere.Butthey
arealsofoundallacrosstheUnitedStates.Eventoday,theoriginalCape
Codarchitecturalstyleinspiresmanynewconstructions.Butwhatmakes
a Cape Cod-style home so unique and timeless?
Keepreadingtolearninterestingthingsandfactsaboutthisquaint
architecturalstyle,includinglonghistory,differenttypesofCapeCod
homes,andmostimportantly,thekeyelements&characteristicsofcape
cod style homes.

2. In1675,CapeCodwasapopularstyleforhomes.Peopleused
half-timberedEnglishhouseswithahallasamodeltoprotectthemselves
fromNewEngland’sstormyweather.Theytypicallybuiltthemaround
onestory(sometimes1-1/2stories)withasteeprooflinewithsidegables.
Therewerealsoasmalloverhang,woodsiding,multi-panewindows,and
hardwoodfloors.Alltheelementswerebuiltforapracticalreason.For
example,largedormerwindowswerecreatedtogetmorespace,light,
andventilation.Notonlythis,buttherearealotofthingsthatmakethem
unique. What are they? Let’s start with their amazinghistory.

3. The Origins of Cape Cod Architecture
Source: architecturaldigest.com
TheCapeCodstylehousesareactuallyfromthetimeoftheearliest
Puritansettlers.Believeitornot!Butthisstylewasfirstintroducedbythe
EnglishcoloniststotheUnitedStatesinthe17thcentury.Thesepeople
camewiththeideaofEnglishhalf-timberhallandparlorhousesto
accommodate New England’s harsh winter climate.
Themaincapecodhousesstartedbuildingfrom1690to1850,butatthat
time,thenameCapecodwasnotgiventothem.Theterm“CapeCod

4. house”wasgivenbythePresidentofYaleUniversity,TimothyDwightIV,
afteravisittothesecottages.Heobservedthesestructurescarefully,and
thesewerealsopublishedin“TravelsinNewEnglandandNewYork”
(1821-22).
Thesecondwave,“CapeCodRevival,”arosefromthe1920stothe1950s.
Thisisthetimewherethisstylegainedimmensepopularityacrossthe
UnitedStates.Becauseofthesymmetricaldesign,openlivingspace,and
arrangement,itwaslaterconsideredaquintessentiallyAmericanstyle.
Steeproofswereconstructedtominimizetheweightofsnowsettlingon
theroof,andlowceilings&shuttersweremeanttoconserveheatand
also block harsh winter winds.

5. What Exactly is a Cape Cod Style House?
Source: thespruce.com
CapeCodarchitectureisoneofthepopularhomestylesintheU.S,and
therehavebeenalotofsimilaritiesbetweenCapehousesandtraditional
American Colonial homes.
OriginallyCapeCodhousesweresmall,rectangularcottagesthatwere
usuallyone-and-a-half-storieshigh.TheCapeCodstructuresinthe
17th-centuryweremodest.Theycanbedescribedasone-roomdeep,
wood-framedhouseswithshingleexteriors.Theyhaveasteeplypitched
roof,abigcentralchimney,andlowceilings.Therewasalsoacentral
door, which was surrounded by wooden shutter-cladwindows.

6. Key Elements
Nowlet’stalkaboutthemainfeaturesofcapecodarchitecture.What’re
thethingsthatmakethemspecialamongalltheotherarchitectural
styles?Belowelementsarealwaysanessentialpartofanycapecod
home, whether be it traditional or revival one:
Exterior:
●These houses have a Symmetrical appearance. Thereis a centered
front entry that opens to a central hall and diningspace.
●Every cape cod home has a large central chimney inthe middle of
the structure. It is directly located behind the mainentrance door,
and all the rooms are clustered around it in a rectangularshape.
●Cape Cods generally have a steep, slanted, gabledroof and a
shallow roof overhang (sometimes side-gabled) to quicklyshed rain
and snow.
●These homes always have two Double-hung windows withshutters
on each side of the door and sometimes have a dormeron each side
of the chimney.
●The second level can be accessed by a narrow stair,or ‘captain’s
stairway.’
●The other most recognizable elements of classic CapeCod
Architecture are the weathered grey shingles.

7. ●Overall, cape cod house plans have a simple exterior without any
porch and roofline.
Interior:
●These homes have a simple rectangular layout, thatis usually in
small (one-story) size. But the house plan is alwaysone-and-a-half
level or three-quarter Cape.
●These places have extremely low ceilings, which alsohelp conserve
heat.
●The overall layout or plan always features a large,open-concept
living space.
●Bedrooms are usually located in dormers or under gables.
●The interiorshave clean lines, bold features witha little aesthetic
detailings.

8. Materials Used in Cape Cod Architecture
Source: thoughtco.com
Talkingaboutbasicbuildingmaterials,allCapeCodhouseswere
traditionallyconstructedusinglocalmaterials.Thereasonbehindthis
was to stand up against the harsh weather of the NewEngland winters.
●Oak and pine woods are used for post and beam framing.
●Oak andpine wood flooring
●All homes have brick fireplaces.
●Clapboard or cedar shake roof with side shingles wasleft unpainted.
This can be seen in original Cape Cod cottages.

9. ●During the Cape Cod revival in the mid-20th century, black shutters
on white exteriors had become a classic color combination.
Variations on the Cape Cod home
Therearealsosomevariationsseenincapecodarchitecture.Smaller
variationsofthehomeswerecalled“singleCapes”or“three-quarter
Capes.Doyouknowhowthesesizesweredictated?Itdependedonthe
numberoffamilymembersandavailablefinances.Butwhetheritwas
smallorbig,everyclassiccottagehadacentralfrontentrancewithtwo
windows on each side.

10. Half Cape:
Source: capelinks.com
Halfcapecottageshaveafrontdoor(justlikeanyother)ononesideof
thehomewithtwomulti-panedglasswindows.They’reusedbysmall
families, and this variation is sometimes also knownas a Single Cape.

11. Three-quarter Cape:
Source: housemethod.com
Threequartercapehomeshavetwomulti-panedwindowsononeside
andonemulti-panedwindowontheotherside.Inthe18thandearly-19th
centuries, this style of Cape was quite popular.

12. Full Cape:
Source: realtor.com
ThefullcapeisalsoknownasDoubleCape,anditcanalsobeseentoday
inmanypartsofAmerica.Thishomewasconstructedforthebigfamilies
bywealthypeople.Thesehomesusuallyconsistoftwomulti-paned
windows(placedsymmetricallyoneitherside),asteeproof,anda
massive chimney.

13. Fascinating Facts About Cape Cod Architecture
Source: idesignarch.com
●After World War II, Boston architect Royal Barry Williswas
instrumental in the spread of Cape Cod style homesthroughout the
United States.
●After soldiers returned home from World War II, thesehouses
instantly gained popularity because of their affordability,especially
during the Great Depression.
●Royal Barry Wills added amenities like bathrooms,kitchens, and
garages so that the middle-class families can usecape cod houses.

14. ●The Dugan residence and The Levittown House ( built by William J.
Levitt and Sons in Long Island, N.Y) are some of the famous
examples of Cape Cod Architecture.
●Levittown was the first major housing developmentcompany, and
it had built more than 17,000 virtually identicalCape Cod homes.
Herearesomecapecodstylehomesexteriorideasforyoutoknowmore
about this classic architecture:
Source: pinimg.com

15. Source: pinimg.com
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16. Source: wordpress.com
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17. Source: pinimg.com
Source: homedit.com

18. Source: paragonrels.com
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19. Source: homedit.com
Final Verdict!
Nowyouknowtheanswer,whypeoplefallinlovewithCapeCod-style
homesandhowtheybecameoneofthemostinfluentialarchitectural
stylesinAmerica.Thisstyleprovesthatevenasimplehouseplanwith
practical and functional detailings can become a popularchoice.
IhopeyouliketheCapeCodArchitecturethathasstoodthetestoftime.
Formoreinterestingblogsandarchitecturalguidance,keepcomingto
Architeturesstyle.

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