This little cottage sits near Cape Cod Bay in Massachusetts. In winter, when the leaves have fallen, you can view the bay through the trees. We don’t know how old the cottage is, but it did belong to the current owner’s grandparents. It was, however, recently renovated, so the interior is up-to-date while still in keeping with the age and character of the cottage.

The cottage started out as a high post half Cape. Typical Cape Cod houses are categorized as quarter, half, three-quarter or full Cape, depending on the number of windows along the front. Often a young family would start by building a half Cape, with two windows on one side of the front door, and later expand it to a three-quarter or full Cape with either one or two windows on the other side of the door. This one was expanded more haphazardly though, with a shed-roofed addition at one end for the living room and a hip-roofed addition at the other end containing the bathroom. There is also a storage shed stuck to the back side. The kitchen and dining room are in the original cottage. That oldest part is dressed up with built-up crown moldings along the roof eaves together with gable end cornice returns. The additions are much plainer, trimmed out with flat fascia boards.

The term “high post” refers to walls that extend vertically above the lower-level ceiling, increasing the usable space upstairs. This one also has two large dormers, likely newer additions, which raise the ceiling to at least 7′ over most of the upper floor. That gives room for a relatively spacious bedroom suite including a half bath.

This tiny cottage is available for vacation rentals through Airbnb.