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This style of home was often built by early American settlers as the beginning of a larger home. Quarter-Capes have only a single window and door on the front-facing side of the home. In the earliest designs, many of these homes featured windows that extended to the top of the ceiling because the ceiling height was lower than in today's standard architectural designs. Hardwood floors and exposed beams are essential elements in the Cape Cod type of house.
Defining elements and characteristics of a Cape Cod house
Additional rooms attached to the side or rear created a design that some people have called "Minimal Traditional," a very sparse mashup of the Cape Cod and Ranch style houses. A full Cape (also sometimes confusingly referred to as a double-Cape) is completely symmetrical. It features two windows on each side of the front door, which is centered on the home and on the single chimney. Full Capes are the most common version of these homes to see in modern neighborhoods today, though many of the homes have been maintained since they were built in the early 20th century. The quarter-Cape is by far the smallest style of Cape Cod homes, and it's particularly rare to see today.
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Cape Cod Style - Los Angeles, CA Real Estate & homes for sale
The combination of an open layout, exposed beams, cottage-style trim, and nautical accents creates a cozy, warm, and relaxing environment that embraces the coastal lifestyle. Discover the timeless charm of Cape Cod house style with our ultimate guide. Explore the interior design elements that define this classic look and learn how to achieve it in your own home. Similar to the exterior geometry, the interior layout is planned symmetrically with the front door opening into the majestic central hall.
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What to Look for in Cape Cod House Designs?
Choose pieces and accents that reflect the timeless charm and simplicity of this architectural style, while also expressing your personal taste and style preferences. When designing or renovating a Cape Cod house floor plan, it’s important to consider the needs of your household. Think about how spaces will be used and how they can flow together harmoniously. While Cape Cod houses have traditional layouts, there is room for customization and modern touches to suit individual preferences. The interior features of a Cape Cod house reflect a timeless and inviting aesthetic.
How to find Cape Cod-style houses for sale in your area
These homes have low-pitched roofs with exposed rafters, wide front porches, and a mix of materials like stone, wood, and brick. Inside, expect to see plenty of natural light and an open floor plan, with built-in cabinetry and detailed woodwork adding to the charm. Whether you’re looking for a cozy bungalow or a larger, more spacious home, you’ll find options with the Craftsman style. Cape Cod house plans are characterized by their clean lines and straightforward appearance, including a single or 1.5-story rectangular shape, prominent and steep roof line, central entry door, and large chimney. Historically small, the Cape Cod house design is one of the most recognizable home architectural styles in the U.S.. 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.

But, when you mix it with another architecture style, you can create a home that feels authentic to your neck of the woods. Generally, Cape Cod homes have a steep roof, shingled exterior, symmetrical façade, and large chimney in the middle. While Cape Cod houses can have multiple floors, most residences are single-storied. Additionally, Cape Cod house style is notoriously free of any superfluous ornamentation, making them versatile enough for a variety of homeowners. Remember that the landscaping should reflect your personal taste and style, while also considering the climate and geographical characteristics of your area.
Even though the styles were separated by about a century, they still share several commonalities, including a conspicuous lack of exterior details. A modestly scaled interior meant that original Cape Cod homeowners had to maximize whatever details they included in their homes. To gain sunlight whenever possible, windows were often extended very high, often up to the roofline. The modest size of Cape Cod homes often translated into modest use of details. 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.
Whether enjoying time in the primary bedroom or the parlor, Cape Cod style interiors are designed for relaxation and family bonding. The house shown here is a five-bay, with shutters on the windows and the doorway—architectural details that define a homeowner's personal style. The side chimney and one-car attached garage are telling details for the age of this home—a time when the middle class flourished and prospered.

However, some modern Cape Cod homes no longer include the traditional cabinetry and have smooth-slab doors for a sleek and contemporary look. The first style, which was the popular pick among early settlers, is the half Cape. It strays a bit from what we consider a common Cape style home today because it isn't as perfectly symmetrical — instead, it features the front door on one side, with two traditional windows to the other side. These were often the jumping off point for new, middle class homeowners to add on to as their families grew. Traditionally, the space under the roof of a Cape Cod house wasn't used as a livable second story. Later, dormers became a useful solution for many Cape Cod homeowners to expand their living space.
An unusual feature of this home, besides the slate roof and brick exterior, is the small, single window we see to the left of the door. As the symmetry is thrown off by this opening, this one window may be located in a stairway leading to a full second floor. The layout usually centers around a large central fireplace and the common room or kitchen, with the bedrooms, pantries, parlor, and rear entry branched off the central kitchen. While the traditional layout had rooms separated by walls and doorways to create a closed floor plan, the flow in a modern Cape can be similar to the traditional layout, where all rooms flow toward the kitchen. The style fell out of popularity temporarily but had a resurgence post World War ll, known as the Cape Cod Revival. These homes were built to help house families and veterans returning from war.
The rectangular design made additions and expansions an easy task for growing families. The Cape Cod style of architecture is defined by its steep roof, central chimney, symmetrical design, dormer windows, and natural materials like cedar shakes. Cape Cod style houses are not merely a building type or a collection of architectural features. They are a living embodiment of American history, culture, and adaptability. From the steep roof characteristic of the earliest houses to the unique feature of modern cedar shakes, every aspect is infused with purpose and charm.
It’s sturdy enough to have withstood both a blackmailer’s dynamite attack and the depredations of frat boys, who were given the boot and eventually replaced by an order of Catholic nuns. With a full-width front porch, a new two-story garage, and a fresh color palette, architect Jeff Troyer gives a 1953 Cape the upgraded look and function it deserves. 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. I often walk out there and think of the days when jerky-tough settlers wrangled a living out of our sandspit, then straggled back to the fireside of their Cape Cod home.
They are typically built with side-gabled roofs, which feature sloped sides along the front and back and pitched triangular areas on either side of the house. This stripped-down roofline distinguishes them from the cornucopia of roof angles and details often found in Victorian homes. 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.
The exterior siding was originally left unpainted, but then white-with-black-shutters became the standard later on. A Cape Cod house’s low, broad structure is not just about aesthetics; it’s a practical response to the New England region’s cold winters and harsh weather conditions. The modest size and rectangular floor plans provide a blank canvas for creativity, while the centralized chimney ensures that the living space remains cozy and warm. The Cape Cod house style is a beloved architectural design that captures the timeless charm and coastal elegance of New England. With its symmetrical facade, steep gable roof, and classic features, Cape Cod houses have stood the test of time and continue to be cherished by homeowners and architecture enthusiasts alike.
Unlike the American Foursquare or other Colonial Revival house styles with one centered dormer on the roof, a Cape Cod style will often have two or more dormers. On the colonial East Coast, Cape Cod homes were heated by a single fireplace with a chimney rising from the center of the house. The Samuel Landon house shown here was built in 1750 in Southold, New York on Long Island, a boat-ride from Cape Cod. Remembering that the original colonists of the New World took the journey because of freedom of religion, we should not be surprised at the Puritan-stark nature of America's first homes. The home had to function in the heat of summer and bone-chilling New England winters.
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