Cape Style

The Cape Cod architectural style is one of the oldest, traditionally American Architectural styles in existence. Modeled after houses in the English countryside, the Cape Cod homes were built by early Colonists in New England in the late 17th Century.

One of the first settled areas in the United States, Cape Cod is rich with life and history. Quaint fishing villages, forests and a rough and beautiful coastline make New England one of the most desirable places to live in the country. It is no wonder that the Cape Cod architectural style has been so often replicated throughout its long life.

The original Cape Cod style houses found in Cape Cod itself are sturdy and beautiful in their simplicity. Many of these houses have been around since the time of the settlers! Designed for the wear and tear of New England windy winters, these modest, one-story dwellings housed our forefathers and will house our grandchildren as well.

This architectural style experienced a revival in the 1950s during the Colonial Revival period. Thousands of houses were fabricated and spread throughout the suburbs of the United States. As Cape Cod itself grew in wealth and popularity, the simple Cape Cod house quickly became the Cape Cod mansion, with showy gables and multiple stories. The traditional Cape Cod style house can be recognized by a few common traits. This style is almost always single-storied, with double-hung windows, a small overhang on the roof and several large chimneys. Inside is found hardwood floors, fireplaces, and a center hallway.

While the colonist’s building style was simple and symmetrical, modern Cape Cod houses have more variation of features and more decoration overall. Decorative shutters, dormers and extended gables dress up contemporary Cape Cod houses, widening their appeal and potential.

Custom floor plans can be easily designed and built in the Cape Cod style, no matter how far you are from the Cape itself. Modular homebuilders can build your Cape Cod home to your specifications, to be as contemporary or authentic as you like.

Houses today in Cape Cod itself have a much wider range of styles. As Cape Cod has become something of a playground for the rich and famous, and a haven for New England old money, the simplicity of the Colonists has been somewhat lost in the shuffle.

Seaside Cape Cod mansions are the subjects of tours and photo shoots. The windswept fields and weathered picket fence posts have become standard fare for summer catalogues. It is the classic Cape Cod house, though, that will have the most lasting appreciation and appeal for its utility and all-American beauty.