Design snapshot: Shingle wall and trim

Click on this photo to see it in the note cards/prints gallery.The white-cedar-shingle wall cladding and trim, shown here, are New England mainstays. Thanks to careful planning, the shingle courses, which probably have approximately 5-inch exposure, align with the top of the window-head trim and the top of the window sill. The rake trim, which follows the roof slope on the gable end wall, is “clipped,” meaning the overhang is minimal. This is a common regional detail, harking back to early Capes. Here, the rake is made of a likely, nominal 8-inch board, with an overlapping crown molding, which adds tight shadow lines. The bead-board shutter is another Yankee touch. Together, these classic New England elements define a spare, but functional, and visually pleasing exterior treatment.

Read more about rake trim here, here, and here.

by Katie Hutchison for the House Enthusiast