diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 9caacfb3..0f34f546 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -26,6 +26,17 @@ cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.12)
 
 project(OpenSubdiv)
 
+# Set C++ standard requirements, allowing overrides
+if (NOT DEFINED CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD)
+    set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 14)
+endif()
+if (NOT DEFINED CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD_REQUIRED)
+    set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD_REQUIRED ON)
+endif()
+if (NOT DEFINED CMAKE_CXX_EXTENSIONS)
+    set(CMAKE_CXX_EXTENSIONS OFF)
+endif()
+
 # Turn on folder support
 set_property(GLOBAL PROPERTY USE_FOLDERS ON)
 
@@ -446,12 +457,6 @@ endif()
 
 if( METAL_FOUND AND NOT NO_METAL)
     set(OSD_GPU TRUE)
-    if (CMAKE_COMPILER_IS_CLANGCC)
-        # When building with Metal support enabled, we need to explicitly
-        # request that the C++ code be compiled with C++11 since some example
-        # code for Metal relies on functionality only available in C++11.
-        set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS} -std=c++11")
-    endif()
 endif()
 
 if( OPENGL_FOUND AND NOT NO_OPENGL)
diff --git a/examples/common/CMakeLists.txt b/examples/common/CMakeLists.txt
index 079c56c4..cf8b9f46 100644
--- a/examples/common/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/examples/common/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -157,8 +157,6 @@ if(METAL_FOUND)
         mtlHud.h
     )
 
-    set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS} -std=c++14")
-
     add_library(examples_common_mtl_obj
         OBJECT
             ${EXAMPLES_COMMON_SOURCE_FILES}
diff --git a/examples/mtlPtexViewer/CMakeLists.txt b/examples/mtlPtexViewer/CMakeLists.txt
index f8e51ff7..28f19572 100644
--- a/examples/mtlPtexViewer/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/examples/mtlPtexViewer/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -108,10 +108,6 @@ if(IOS)
     )
 endif()
 
-
-
-set_property (TARGET mtlPtexViewer PROPERTY CXX_STANDARD 14)
-
 target_link_libraries(mtlPtexViewer
     ${PLATFORM_LIBRARIES}
 )
diff --git a/examples/mtlViewer/CMakeLists.txt b/examples/mtlViewer/CMakeLists.txt
index c1445954..6c67954b 100644
--- a/examples/mtlViewer/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/examples/mtlViewer/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -104,10 +104,6 @@ if(IOS)
     )
 endif()
 
-
-
-set_property (TARGET mtlViewer PROPERTY CXX_STANDARD 14)
-
 target_link_libraries(mtlViewer
     ${PLATFORM_LIBRARIES}
 )
diff --git a/opensubdiv/CMakeLists.txt b/opensubdiv/CMakeLists.txt
index 01034860..4f3e3f3e 100644
--- a/opensubdiv/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/opensubdiv/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -80,7 +80,6 @@ if (NOT NO_LIB)
         list(APPEND PLATFORM_GPU_LIBRARIES
             ${METAL_LIBRARIES}
         )
-        set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS} -std=c++14")
     endif()
 
     if ( OPENCL_FOUND )