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It takes a good guy to admit he was wrong - I'll do that.
You guys are right. I got my terms mixed up, there, but was definitely thinking mansard. I have very seldom seen a Cape Cod with a mansard roof, though? Why do some believe it is Cape Cod? Just curious to see if I can pick something up here.
^In reference to your ? as to how some of us could possibly think it's a cape cod...I'll take a stab.
1. It's really hard to tell without a clear picture & a side view, as previously stated.
2. You don't see any similarity to the cape cod floor plan I posted & the house pictured? The two houses look nearly identical to me, so without a side view, I think it's a valid guess.
I don't think it's one particular style -- I'd say it's a hybrid of the classics colonial/Dutch colonial/Cape Cod. I'd agree that it's currently a bit bland, but it's the fault of the landscaping as much as the house -- although the trees are beautiful and the lawn appears to be in good shape. I don't think you need much polish to have a gem. I'd do black shutters on the house and a stand-out color on the front door only. If the accessories at the front door (doorknobs, porch lights, mailbox) are shiny brass, I'd change them to black if you do black shutters, bronze if you do a color on the shutters, or nickel for a more up-to-date look. If those are trellises on either side of the front, get something that will bloom growing on them. Then I'd add window boxes, pots of flowers on the porch, and/or flowers in front of the bushes, color depending on what you put on the trellises. If you're the type, a short white picket fence around the front yard wouldn't be out of place. I really don't think you need anything drastic to get you to major curb appeal.
True cape cods do not have front dormers, are clapboard instead of brick and have closer proportioning accross the front. That said- it is not the clearest of pictures and so many people call any one and a half story house with a littel symmetry a cape cod (kinda like Kleenex=tissues) that I don't think its that big of a deal.
Agree with Jukesgirl. Paint shutters, door, maybe garage door, too. Maybe a really nice new front porch light. Very cute house. I'd use a chestnut brown, deep burgandy or charcoal gray accent paint color. Maybe even paint the dormer window framing.
It looks similar to houses that I have heard described as a "Windsor House"
There really are very few examples of one pure style or another. Most houses have elements of various styles as the styles change and morph from one type to another. New houses often intentaionally have bits and peices of multiple incompatible styles. The designers do studies and if they find that 10% of people like Tudor style, 15% like colonial revival, and 30% like stick style, then they design a house that is 10% tudor, 15% colonial and 30% stick. THeny they do not really include elements of the given style because it is too expensive, therefore they make cheap copies that are reminiscent of a given style. The result is a semi tudor, or a modern house that is reminiscient of cape cod. They will use things like a "bay window" that is only 3" deep, or 3' porch, or a tower that is only 18" in diameter. Although those houses often get labled as a cape cod, or colonial revival, etc, they are not.
I think that the pictured house is one of those. The size shape and location of the upper windows, and the combination of the dormer windows with that type and pitch of roof does not appear to fit any style. Persoanlly I woudl call that house "no style" but perhaps reminscient of a cape cod or a Windsor house ( now I am off to see if there is a difference between Cape Cod and Windsor House).
Thanks to everyone for the advice so far. I looked up some of the terms that folks had mentioned, and I can confirm that yes, it is a mansard roof. I actually found a photo of a similar building that described it as a "modern mansard". The other houses on the street are smaller Cape Cods or English/Dutch Colonials with red or brown brick, so it does stand out a bit.
However, the ideas that you all gave are great & wouldn't be too expensive or labor-intensive to do. I love the glass on the front door, so perhaps we could paint it instead of replace it. I had thought about adding shutters, but was worried they would make the exterior look cluttered. However, there is a lot of space between the windows, so it may work.
Its not really a bad looking house, just very static, with the typical "lite" detailing of a builder's colonial. If you are going to do shutters, please please please choose shutters that actually could enclose the window they surround, even with this not particularly authentic rendition of a traditional house, no need to make it even more of a poser.
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The two houses look nearly identical to me, so without a side view, I think it's a valid guess.
