Cape Cod (house)

The Cape Cod house is defined as the classic North American house. In the original design, Cape Cod houses had the following features: symmetry, steep roofs, central chimneys, windows at the door, flat design, one to one-and-a-half stories, narrow stairways, and simple exteriors. Modern Cape Cod houses more commonly have front porches and decks, as well as external additions made to the houses. The basic Cape Cod house dating back to 1670 to now included 4 small rooms surrounding the chimney. If the house has another story, it would include two even smaller rooms on that second floor. The houses have very little overhang and the trim is kept simple. Early Cape Cod houses were described as half-houses, and they were 16 to 20 feet wide. Overtime, bigger Cape Cod houses were constructed. They were referred to as three quarter houses and full capes depending on size.^[1][2]

Cape Cod houses originally had the following features: symmetry, steep roofs, central chimneys, windows at the door, flat design, one to one-and-a-half stories, narrow stairways, and simple exteriors. In the traditional Cape Cod architectural design, various materials were used to construct the houses. Oak and pine were used to construct the posts, beams, and wood flooring, and the fireplaces were made of brick. The exterior of the house is typically painted white with black wooden shutters, and shiplap was used as siding for the houses. The Cape Cod design was inspired by English housing with the box shaped frame and low-hanging silhouette. The Cape Cod style has been revived because it is very inexpensive to build; therefore, it is easier to add on and configure the house. This style of house can be found in Massachusetts, northern New England, and Eastern Canada.^[3][4]