Wedgwood Cape Cod
This is street view of house prior to renovation. Roofs contributed to confusion: which is the main roof, and which are subordinate?Hipped roofs were made into gable roofs, and the heirarchy became clear. Once "Cape Cod" became our model, all details moved into alignment. Framing gable ends with vertical corner and rake boards made a big difference.View from backyard before renovation. Hipped roofs met at a dinky 4' ridge. Recessed back door only darkened kitchen and limited view. Small-scaled details were missing, and the house looked stripped.Backyard view after renovation shows ridge extending across the main body of the house. Smaller gables appear subordinate, and perhaps later additions. Windows, shutters and railings now provide some small scale detail.Renovated kitchen absorbed recessed porch, and was now big enough to include a breakfast table. Flat ceiling was removed, and opened below gable roof. New skylight balances the light and provides good ventilation. Cabinets, ceilings and doors are Douglas fir with a natural finish.Although kitchen remains in its original location, doors to dining room and basement stair were moved. This minor tweak allowed us to build a third wall of cabinets, and completed triangle between sink, range and fridge.
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This poor confused 1940 spec house could not decide whether to go Cape Cod or streamline moderne.  Times were uncertain.  What to do? With our modest budget, we couldn't afford to do anything really dramatic.  So, we gave the house a gentle nudge toward Cape Cod.  Once that was settled, every detail fell into place. Small changes significantly improved interior and additions were avoided.