Text by Logan Ward
More Classics: Cape Cod
The Cape Cod, with its boxy footprint, snug proportions, and shingled roof, embodies our notion of shelter. It’s common on islands such as Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard and, of course, the Cape.
Shaped like a Monopoly house, the popular cottage design originated centuries ago in New England. Typical of most vernacular forms, it was determined by the region’s weather and built to defy prevailing winds. The broad, squat form with a steep-pitched roof features a few informal rooms downstairs and a half-story loft, often with dormer windows. Two or more fireplaces cluster around a central chimney to warm the home. Exterior shutters, battened down during nor'easters, often punctuate the facade.
The Cape Cod cottage proliferated during the mid-20th century, thanks to a Colonial revival and a need for low-cost housing. It’s still known for its compact size and lack of ornamentation. In warmer climates, the details may be strictly decorative or perfunctory, but the New England icon still feels like an honest house—ship-tight, cozy, even romantic.
