<P> A Cape Cod house is a low, broad, single - story frame building with a moderately steep pitched gabled roof, a large central chimney, and very little ornamentation . Originating in New England in the 17th century, the simple symmetric design was constructed of local materials to withstand the stormy, stark weather of Cape Cod . It features a central front door flanked by multi-paned windows . The space above the 1st floor was often left unfinished, with or without windows on the gable ends . </P> <P> The style enjoyed a boom in popularity and adaptation to modern needs in the 1930s - 1950s, particularly with Colonial Revival embellishments . It remains a feature of New England homebuilding . </P>

What does a cape cod home look like