Cape Cod architecture is one of the most instantly recognizable home styles in the U.S. At its core, an original Cape Cod house is a small, rectangular, unadorned one to one-and-a-half-story cottage with a steep pitched roof to keep snow from piling up and side gables.

What are the characteristics of a Cape Cod style house?

• Symmetrical appearance with a centered front entry.
• Steep roofs with side gables and an overhang.
• Shingle siding.
• Gabled dormers.
• Double-hung windows with shutters.
• Centralized chimneys.
• Simple exterior ornamentation.

Is Cape Cod a colonial style?

The simple Cape Cod Revival style was one of the last house types of the American colonial era to be revived as a building form. Utilized exclusively for dwellings, the model for the style came from dwellings in Massachusetts and New York fishing villages.