Expert: Rikki Nyman - 3/23/2009

Question
I am in the design & planning stage of building my first home. The home will be a Cape Cod with 2 dormer windows, but no front porch. It will be built in a semi-rural area in south central PA. I would like to keep the exterior as similar to an original Cape Cod as I can. So far I have found that the windows should have multiple lites (I've read that they should have 6, 9 or 12 lites per window) and the windows should have decorative shutters. The front door should be centered and there should be 2 equally sized and equally spaced windows on either side of the front door, which I knew. This is a modest budget construction so the entire outside will have to be covered with horizontal siding, but I need help with everything - exterior color schemes, type & size of horizontal siding, type of shutters and possibly most important - what should the front door look like? Again, this is a very modest budget home, but it is important to me to keep as true to the original Cape Cod as I am able.

I have been researching extensively with few results - please help!

Answer
Regina --

Your choice of a Cape Cod style house is a classic and will yield dividends over time. The style is timeless.

I've published some Cape Cod style house plans from the 1930s including a pretty Gordon Van Tine kit home at http://www.antiquehomestyle.com/plans/gordon-van-tine/1935/35gvt-mayfair.htm ... another is the Amherst, also by Gordon Van Tine.

As for siding, you can use lapped boards (shiplap), shakes, or raked cedar shingles. (The lapped siding and shakes are probably more readily available in Pennsylvania. I'm on the West Coast where raked cedar was very coomon.) All three were in wide use during the CC heyday from 1925 to 1955.

Because of the simplicity of a Cape, have you considered a metal roof? Metal was rarely used, but it was around. The big advantage to metal is its longevity and sustainability. (Just a thought.) Other roof material choices include slate, shake, or composition. Colors include black and shades of gray, red, or green.

For color, there are two tried and true approaches for a classic Cape Cod. White body and white trim, with shutters painted red, black, or green. (The color should coordinate with the roof.) The second scheme, and one that I think is so pretty, is gray siding and white trim. I've see the shutters done in a muted blue; with flowers and garden surrounding it, it's a beautiful thing.

I have also seen butter yellow with white trim used to great effect with green, red, or black shutters.

Hardware is appropriate in brass or wrought iron.

The front door and its trim can be quite modest but still very pretty. Go for a classic Colonial-style paneled door. Sidelights and a transom would be attractive and provide extra light. The trim is often painted white and only the door is painted a color. Again, red, green, or black doors are knockouts.

Because of the consistent popularity and charm of this style, purchase the best quality materials you can afford. Look at architectural salvage yards for suitable bits and pieces. You might even find a good front door that your carpenter can custom fit. The chances are good that the quality will be as good or superior to the doors you'll find today.

I hope this helps. Let me know if you need more ideas about millwork, trim, etc. I have some original millwork books that might be useful.

Hope this helps.

Best regards,
Rikki Nyman
www.antiquehomestyle.com
www.midcenturyhomestyle.com