The architecture of New England
Our feature home this week on social is the Traditional New England II, so we thought we’d dive into the two main New England architecture styles that inspired it.
Architecture influenced by the traditional New England styles from the 17th century have long been a staple along the East Coast. From the shores of Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire and Rhode Island, we see a confluence of New England architecture styles stemming from about ten different types developed and modernized by architects over the past 100 years or so.
You won’t now often get a home that is one hundred percent Cape Cod or Colonial or Farmhouse. Instead, the New England architecture of today is an intermingling of so many elements of the several coastal styles. From materials used and overall shape of the home, to roof types and windows, interior layouts and outdoor landscaping – each home is a custom creation perfectly suited to the owner’s needs. That’s what we do here at Structure Home too, bringing the style and comfort of New England-esque homes to the California coast.
Architecture styled after the traditional New England homes of the 17th century are filled with character and warmth, often expansive in size to accommodate generations of families (or today’s modern family), and is a style now quintessentially American though it was created over 400 years ago in England.
New England architecture is defined by clean lines and symmetry. The homes are graceful, one-and-a-half to two stories, and often built in rectangular shapes to allow for easy additions later on.
From charming Cape Cods, modern Farmhouses, Shingle-style homes and the more imposing yet tasteful Colonial and Georgian-inspired historic residences, Structure Home has a love and flair for New England architecture styles.
Our feature home this week is predominantly a mixture of the Colonial and Cope Cod styles of New England architecture.
A family home of two full stories with four bedrooms and four and one-half baths, volume ceilings and bi-folding doors create a feeling of space without forgoing a welcoming sense of home.
As is traditional, a center hall plan runs the width of the home, where from each front and rear entries, one can see through the home.
Let’s explore the traditional elements of our two main architectural styles indicated in this family home.
New England Colonial Style Homes
Certainly one of the most popular styles of home in the US today, the Colonial New England style home is timeless and tasteful. Colonial architectural styles can be English, French, Spanish or Dutch. Many of our homes lean toward the English design found along the Eastern Seaboard.
The first Colonial homes in the 17th century were rather basic square and rectangular structures with two-stories and a symmetrical and balanced design. Nowadays, we’ve updated this architectural style to suit our modern wants and needs.
Typically, you’ll find the a mix of the following characteristics in a New England Colonial style home:
*we’ve put a star next to the design attributes that are found in our feature home*
- Symmetrical exterior*
- Two stories with bedrooms on the top floor*
- Rectangle or square shape
- Paired chimneys at each end of the home
- Little or no overhangs*
- Glass-pane windows
- Central front door to maintain symmetry*
- Front entry often a portico supported by columns*
- Covered front porch
- Medium-pitch roof
- Clapboard, brick or shingle facade*
Check out some floor plans and example designs of Colonial style homes here for more elements, features and inspiration.
Let’s explore now the other dominant architectural style of New England found in our feature home.
New England Cape Cod Style Homes
An historic and easily recognizable design, the Cape Cod a is well-loved and adapted style of home.
First introduced in the 1600s amongst the original 13 colonies of the US, these smaller homes were one-level and built for function in the harsh New England winters. A gable-sloped steeper roof and simple rectangular shape with lower ceilings, allowed snow to slide of more easily and the home to be better heated. And the basic shape made it possible to add-on as the family grew.
Now more typically one-and-a-half stories with the traditional gabled roof and one chimney along with dormers, the Cape Cod style of New England architecture became popular in the 1930s.
Similar to the Colonial style, the front door and entry is often centered but with minimal architectural build and decor on the facade, and the centered hallway runs the width of the home.
Below the characteristics and elements often found in the Cape Cod style home:
*we’ve put a star next to the design attributes that are found in our feature home*
- Steep roof* and side gables
- One large chimney *
- Double dormers*
- Small porch
- One and a half stories
- Clapboard, shingle, board-and-batten siding
- Dark wood floors, white trim, white cabinets*
Check out some floor plans and example designs of Cape Cod style homes here for more elements, features and inspiration.
