The Minimal Traditional house was known as the "house that could" - with a simple exterior design that gave the small house the appearance of maximum size.  This house typically has a gabled low or medium pitched roof, and minimal amounts of added architectural detail.  The Side Open-Gabled style house, commonly called Cape Cod style, is typically a one-story side-gabled house.  This style of house may be assymetrical, and include varied window placement, small porches or carports, and perhaps a half-story finished under the roof (think attic bedroom).

The traditional style consists of: 

Main areas of elaboration:  Minimal amount of architectural detail.  A simple exterior design that gives the small house the appearance of maximum size, and provided some of the most cost effective forms of housing.

Universal Feature:   Typically one-story with a low or medium pitched roof, usually open-gabled.  The roof eaves typically have little or no overhang, and rarely has dormers. 

Shape: Both asymmetrical and symmetrical variations.

Levels: Typically one-story, but there are two-story versions.

Roof Style: Side Open-Gabled roof, some with a half-story finished living space under the roof (think attic bedroom).

Porches:  Some variations include small porches creating an asymmetrical look. 

Front door: Traditional paneled front door, sometimes with a multi-pane window in the upper half.

Windows: Typical double-hung multi-paned windows with simple frames, and some with shutters for added detail. 

Fireplace: Some homes included a fireplace on the exterior gabled wall.