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Discussion Forum

Cape cod dormer

Lou22 | Posted in General Discussion on March 9, 2022 11:55am

Hi, 

I am in the process of building a traditional three quarter cape cod house. This home style includes a front door with one window on one side and two windows on the other.

I would like to add dormers to it to add light on the second floor. Most cape cod houses with dormers that I have seen are full cape cod houses (two windows on both side of the front door) and it look right with 2 – 3 dormers because it remains symetric.

Three-quarter cape cod houses are not symetric and I am wondering if there is a guideline to add dormers to this type of house for it not to look too weird. 

Thank you very much,

Lou

Reply

Replies

  1. FSmyles | Mar 10, 2022 10:07am | #1

    Have someone draw the elevation for you to see it it looks weird. Maybe what you're looking for is a Cape Cod-ish type design. Draw it with a few variations - maybe 3 or 5. You'll learn a lot about what you want and how to achieve it.

    Frankie

  2. calvin | Mar 10, 2022 10:35am | #2

    Take a picture of your house straight on.
    Print it in black and white on regular copy paper. If you have a photoshop type program, turn it into a minimal line drawing.

    With a few copies, draw in or cut out your dormers and place them on the print.

    See if an extra wide dormer (2 sash) on one side looks bogus….

    Or, draw the front and make copies.

  3. Tim_William | Mar 11, 2022 09:51am | #3

    You could do a single shed dormer instead of two individual ones, which would avoid the problem altogether.

  4. egret237 | Mar 13, 2022 07:04pm | #4

    Have you thought about a modified Nantucket dormer without the doghouses?

    1. Lou22 | Mar 15, 2022 11:56am | #5

      Thank you all for your replies. One big dormer usually look weird, especially on an old house model. A shed dormer would work although it is more of a modern Cape Cod house than a traditionnal design. It could still work on the back, not to alter the facade.

      And egret237, a modified Nantucket dormer withoud the two doghouse dormes is actually a shed dormer.

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