Looking for cape cod style homes with pretty porches, pale shutters and flower-filled gardens? There’s plenty to save here, from gray-shingled exteriors to a little reading nook beside the fireplace.
I especially love the blue flowers against all that white trim.
You can borrow a small detail or dream a little bigger. These images include Cape Cod-inspired looks plus some farmhouse, cottage and Victorian-style departures, so they aren’t all examples of the same architectural style.
Cape Cod Home Inspiration and Pretty Details
white porch and black shutters
We’re starting off strong with this pretty white porch and black shutters. I love the pink flowers beneath the window, plus the red-toned steps leading straight to the front door.
If you want to borrow a smaller detail, try a white window box filled with pink blooms.
blue shutters and pastel flowers
How cute is this little house? The pale blue door matches the shutters, with pink, blue and white hydrangeas spilling around the picket fence.
You don’t have to copy the whole garden. Start with that blue-and-white color combination if you want a similar look for your entrance.
gray shingles and a seaside porch
This porch may just be one of my favorites here. I love the brown door and large brown shutters against the gray shingles, plus the little table tucked beside the entrance.
The white railing and pale flowers keep the colors simple. There’s even a glimpse of the water beyond the garden.
little moons on the shutters
I am obsessed with these crescent-moon cutouts. They’re such a sweet little detail on the white shutters, especially against the pale blue siding.
The flower boxes repeat upstairs and downstairs. Try white flowers with trailing greenery if you want to follow this color scheme.
a bright red front door
Don’t want to keep every color quiet? No problem! This bright red door gives the blue-gray exterior something a little bolder.
I especially love the small windowpanes and gold-colored hardware. For a similar entrance, let the door be the main splash of color rather than adding lots of extra decorations.
a pair of porch chairs
If you are looking for a simple porch setup, this one is for you. Two tan chairs with pale cushions sit on either side of the gray door.
The white columns and railings keep everything understated. Try a matching pair of chairs on your own porch, leaving the doorway clear between them.
blue blooms around the steps
How gorgeous are these blue hydrangeas? They fill both sides of the white steps, with taller white flowers reaching up toward the porch columns.
I love the little balcony above the entrance too. The gray shingles give all those flowers a lovely plain background.
deep green and red tones
This cottage takes the colors in a different direction. The deep green shutters match the front door and window boxes, with red-toned walls all around them.
That simple wreath is my favorite finishing touch. Try one with an open center if you want the door color to show through.
white gables and an open passage
If you like farmhouse-style details too, save this one. The tall white gables have vertical lines, while the lower walls show a small shingle pattern.
The open passage between the buildings is worth a closer look. This is a departure from a compact traditional Cape, but the pale exterior colors are still lovely inspiration.
brown frames against white
Don’t want to add shutters or lots of porch decorations? This farmhouse-leaning exterior keeps things much simpler.
I love the brown window frames against the white walls.
The small entrance platform and paired rectangular stepping stones follow that same unfussy look.
yellow walls and climbing flowers
This yellow cottage is so pretty, even though it leans away from classic Cape Cod architecture. The white shutters and flowers around the doorway are my favorite parts.
If you want to borrow the palette, try pale yellow with white accents. A few purple flowers would bring in the garden colors shown here.
Read also: 20 Print Mixing Decor Ideas With Stripes, Florals and Checks
a bedroom under the roof
Got a room with sloping ceilings? This bedroom gives you plenty to work with.
Low bookshelves run beneath the roof windows, with a small desk tucked at the right.
I love the blue-gray throw over the pale bedding. Try that same color pairing if you want to keep your bedroom decorating simple.
a tall red-toned chimney
How gorgeous is this tall chimney? Its red tones stand out against the gray shingles, with a rough, irregular pattern around the wider base.
The white window trim is just as pretty. I’d keep that pale outline rather than introduce another strong color beside the chimney.
Read also: 20 Corner Home Bar Ideas With Pretty Shelves and Clever Storage
a glass-filled entrance
That tall central window makes quite an entrance! It reaches into the gable above the black door, with smaller dormers on either side.
This is a more contemporary departure from the traditional Cape. For a smaller idea to borrow, try pale planters filled with white flowers beside your doorway.
clipped shrubs and gray shingles
I love this gray-shingled exterior with its white entrance. The rounded little trees and tall clipped shrubs make the front garden look so neat.
The walkway has red-toned edges and matching bands across it. That’s a lovely detail to save if you’re planning a path of your own.
sage siding and twin dormers
If you’re picturing a cape cod style house with a centered door and two dormers, this is the one to save. The muted sage siding looks so pretty with white shutters.
Matching planters sit beside the entrance. I’d keep those and the small white window boxes for a simple, coordinated front porch.
Read also: 20 Backyard Deck Ideas With Pretty Seating, Planters and Lighting
porch lights in the snow
This snowy house is a Victorian-style departure rather than a typical Cape Cod home. But how pretty are those lights along the wraparound porch?
You can still borrow the seasonal decorating idea. Try a simple line of outdoor-rated lights along your own porch railing without copying the house itself.
an arched doorway canopy
This curved canopy may just be my favorite entrance detail here. I love the white brackets and little hanging lantern above the brown door.
The red flowers upstairs add another bit of color. Dark chairs on either side of the entrance keep the porch furniture simple.
a white flower border
Don’t want lots of different flower colors? No problem!
This garden pairs white blooms with rounded dark green shrubs and broad leaves edged in cream.
The smaller white flowers run right along the lawn. If you’re planning a similar border, start with that layered arrangement and choose plants suited to your garden.
a little seat beside the fireplace
Last but definitely not least, we have this sweet built-in seat beside the fireplace. I love the pale cushions and shelves filled with books, baskets and little decorative pieces.
Try leaving some space between your shelf displays instead of filling every gap. The small plants are a lovely touch too.