What could say “Happy Valentine’s Day” better than a pink Victorian cottage? Let’s all fall in love with this beauty in Cape May, New Jersey!
This fanciful cottage closely resembles several others in Cape May designed by architect Stephen Decatur Button and built in 1871-1872. This one may be by the same architect or simply copied from the others.
The Historic American Building Survey (HABS) identifies these Cape May houses as “Swiss Style,” a Romantic style briefly in vogue in the 1860s and 1870s. Other sources call them Carpenter Gothic, though they lack the pointed arches typical of that style.
To my mind, they are Italianate in form and fenestration (window shape and placement) and have typically Italianate double doors but lean into the Swiss Cottage style with their scroll-cut gingerbread trim.
Whatever style they are called, they are fun and fabulous and contribute to Cape May’s well-deserved reputation as a community filled with well-preserved Victorian era architecture.
Understanding the architectural style of your house should be the starting point for planning your restoration/rehabilitation project.
Twenty-five styles and types are described and illustrated in “Restoring Your Historic House, The Comprehensive Guide for Homeowners.”
Signed and personalized copies of the award-winning and bestselling 720-page hardcover book are available from the author in our shop at YourHistoricHouse.com/shop/.
Our shop also carries other authors’ select preservation and restoration titles. Save with our multi-book combo packs!
“Restoring Your Historic House is also available in bookstores nationwide and from online retailers.
© Scott T. Hanson 2025.
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