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Renew Blog

Shingle-Style New England Homes

by Glenn M. Travis, Principal, GMT Home Design

This shingle style home design in Harwich, MA combines natural materials with a visually interesting, asymmetrical roofline.

We recently talked about Cape Cod-style homes, which evolved in the late 1600s and included wooden shingle siding as one popular, recognizable architectural feature.

Now let's look at one of today's absolute most in-demand New England home designs: "Shingle Style". Don't be confused by the shingles! While Capes are typically small, cozy and simple, Shingle Style homes are in some ways quite the opposite: bigger, asymmetrical, and spacious.

Shingle Style design might be older than you think

This style was initially a response to the ornate and heavily decorative Victorian architecture that was prevalent in the late 1700s. In other words, homeowners got a bit tired of the formality of Victorian style, and wanted something more relaxed and natural.

The Shingle Style's early popularity was largely concentrated in the northeastern United States, particularly in coastal regions where the style's informal and naturalistic qualities resonated with the local surroundings. The style's emphasis on craftsmanship, integration with nature, and rejection of excessive ornamentation contributed to its lasting impact and its popularity today.

A who's who of famous New Englanders contributors to the style's early development:

  • Henry Hobson Richardson, a New York artist and designer first known for developing a Romanesque style in Manhattan and Albany, moved to Brookline MA in 1874 and had a significant influence on the Shingle Style. 

  • Charles McKim and Stanford White, two architects who initially worked for Richardson, continued to explore the Shingle Style in their own designs. They incorporated elements of informal elegance, shingle-clad surfaces, and asymmetrical compositions.

  • Robert Swain Peabody and John Goddard Stearns were two other architects who designed many Shingle Style homes during the late 19th century. Their designs often featured intricate woodwork, complex roof forms, and an integration with the natural landscape.

  • And last but not least, William Ralph Emerson — not to be confused with his famous naturalist/philosopher cousin Ralph Waldo Emerson — was one of the early proponents of the Shingle Style. He designed houses with sweeping rooflines, open floor plans, and natural-looking materials.

Off-center doors, multiple gables and other mixed features surround a classic central chimney — a very New England look.

 

So what are the features of Shingle Style homes?

Wooden shingles: (Well, obviously!) The most distinctive feature of a Shingle Style home is the use of wooden shingles as the primary exterior material. In our area, the Northeast, cedar shingles are the most popular choice. These shingles cover the entire exterior of the house, including walls and roof, creating a unified and textural appearance.

Asymmetry: Here's where we leave Cape style behind. Shingle Style homes most often have asymmetrical designs, with irregular rooflines, varying window sizes, and a lack of strict symmetry in the overall composition. This asymmetry adds a sense of informality and individuality to the architecture.

Complex roof shapes and rooflines: Roofs in Shingle Style homes are typically complex and multi-gabled, featuring a variety of roof shapes such as hipped, gambrel, and steeply pitched gables. All on the same house. This creates a visually interesting and dynamic roofline.

Large porches: Shingle Style homes often have expansive covered porches that can wrap around the front and sides of the house. More living space, more connection between the indoors and outdoors, more opportunity to enjoy natural surroundings.

Turrets and towers: Some Shingle Style homes incorporate turrets, towers, or other vertical elements that contribute to the irregular silhouette of the house. These elements can provide panoramic views and architectural interest.

Natural materials: Besides wooden shingles, Shingle Style architecture typically incorporates other natural materials such as stone, brick, and sometimes stucco. These materials can be used to create contrasting textures and accents.

Informal, rustic vibe: As noted, this is sort of the anti-Victorian style. It inspiration from the colonial architecture of New England but aimed to create a sense of harmony with the natural surroundings.

Integration with landscape: Shingle Style homes often sought to blend in with their natural surroundings. This could involve incorporating local flora and fauna, or designing the home to fit harmoniously into its environment.

Open interior layouts: Inside, Shingle Style homes tend to have open and flowing floor plans, with interconnected living spaces. This allowed for a more modern and comfortable way of living compared to the compartmentalized layouts of earlier architectural styles.

Each of these elements, of course, can be taken to the extreme. (Enjoy some over-the-top, expensive, complex examples here.) It's helpful to look at a range of shingle-style homes to get a sense of what looks balanced and natural, particularly if you're leaning toward asymmetry. We really enjoy working on these designs until the proportions and lines all work together. 

Shingle Style and remodeling

Shingle style homes have their own quirks and perks when it comes to remodeling.

New additions to an existing Shingle style often have an unusually clean slate, because the roofline and shape of the home is often pretty eclectic to begin with. Want a bay view window? A dormered second floor? New wraparound porch? As long as you pay attention to the details, you can still achieve a harmonious look. Renovation of older Shingle style homes is similarly flexible. 

Incorporating natural stone is a great match for this style and way to selectively break up the all-shingled look, especially on larger homes where the shingles can cross the line from "unifying" to "monotonous". 

But where we see the most demand nowadays is not in renovation but for new-construction Shingle homes. The elevated look with natural materials fits well into all kinds of neighborhoods and settings, whether it's a sea-facing house on the Cape or tucked into wooded hills in Vermont. Open floor plans fit growing families and the informal tone helps slow down busy lifestyles just a notch. (Here's an extra thought from our own experience as well: a Gambrel roof can look really striking on a new shingle-style home!)

Overall, the Shingle Style is characterized by its emphasis on informality, natural materials, and a harmonious integration with its surroundings. The combination of natural looks with modern scale and convenience has produced an enduring architectural style.

More in our series on New England home styles:

Classic colonials | remodeling ideas

Saltbox colonials | updating your saltbox

Cape Cod style | remodeling capes