I spent a few days in Sydney on Cape Breton Island where the houses all have that classic East Coast style that I love so much. Its rare in these parts to see homes constructed of brick or stucco, or to see them painted in dull neutral colours. My favorite exterior colour combo for these character houses is a dark deep grey/black or deep blue with white trim and a bold colorful front door. Walk down any street and your bound to see a different hue on every house. I also love that these houses have a lot of symmetry - with they're crisp white trim and colourful siding they're just the perfect showcase for holiday decor.

Whether I'm at home or travelling one of my favorite past-times is to walk thru neighborhoods and check out exterior home designs. I wasn't disappointed in Sydney, it was a treat to stroll up and down the streets and take in all the different colour combos and, what I thought were all beautifully appointed front doors.

Not the greatest photo but the wreath on the front door (and side door) of this yellow house was gorgeous along with a pair of potted topiary evergreens it was so tastefully done.

Here's an example of that high contrast colour combo I love so much,,the contrast of the dark siding with the crisp white trim really highlights the architectural details. Check out that railing design!

Here's another great railing design similar to the house photo above - love this!!

Once you get outside of the *city*, the houses in the rural areas you can still find some colourful houses but mostly you see a lot of naturally greyed cedar shake or painted white farmhouses. Now these are what really speak to me,,,,,like this classic cedar shake farmhouse. It sits high on a hilltop with panoramic ocean views along the west coast of the island - hello, whoever owns this beauty, I want your house. : )

All Photos: Carol Reed

The final days of our trip we travelled across the Eastern Shore of N.S. and headed over to Cape Breton Island. We didn't do too much sightseeing along the eastern shore (not much to see on this route), but we visited a couple of beautful beaches. Our first stop early one morning was at Clam Bay Beach, from the parking lot a trail leads you thru a wooded area that was covered in the most gorgeous green moss....

Thru the trail in the woods you arrived at a large modern facility that housed washrooms, changerooms showers and an interpretation centre. I loved the modern architecture and the weathered grey siding...

We later spoke with other long time visitors to NS and locals who never knew this beach or facility existed....

There was a long wooden boardwalk from the building to the beach and even the railings were constructed in this simple modern style....

The only other people at the beach were the life guards who were just getting set up for the day....

The lifeguard huts designed in the same style as the public facilities....

A gorgeous wide sandy beach, all to ourselves....we stayed for about an hour and still no one else was there when we left, and it was the weekend!

And after staying overnight at a very remote, small inn (that was suprisingly noisy considering it was in the middle of nowhere!!?),,,,,we woke to a spectacular view, then headed on to our next destination on Cape Breton Island...

Back on the road, we passed a few more colourful boats...

A lighthouse or two....

And we arrived at a charming inn located in the Margaree Valley on Cape Breton Island where we spent the next few days. It's a huge piece of property that used to be a fly fishing camp in years gone by,,,now it operates as an Inn but is still popular for fly fishing enthusiasts.

This place is quirky, and charming and completely authentic. Their dining room is reknown for their incredible food and its Living Room and Barn are famous for hosting local musicians, Celtic music is in their blood here and its hard to find a restaurant or pub that doesn't have live local talent every night of the week. It was the most incredible experience being treated to these intimate performances each evening,,,traditional Scottish fiddle tunes that bring tears to your eyes.

Unfortunately what this placed oozed in charm it lacked in technology! No phones or WiFi in our cabin and we had no cell service anywhere on the island. This was our only connection with the outside world so I was a bit stressed (normally not a problem when on vacation but I had a few installations happening back at home and I had promised to be available!).

The view from our cabin.....there were acres of pasture with lots of horses...

The view in our cabin! The screen porch actually, I totally loved this hanging swing : )

Green rolling pastures and mountainous valleys everywhere....

The cabot trail was so breathtaking but so vast I found that I just couldn't capture it on camera. The road ahead as it ascended....

Out one side of the car the towering rocky shore.....

On the other side of the car looking inland,,,the never ending valleys...

We reached the very tip of the island beyond the Cabot Trail on a steep, windy dirt road I don't ever want to travel again,,,feared for my life several times (not kidding).

Stunning views just went on and on.....

We left Cape Breton a few days later and headed on to PEI, it was a really brief visit! We arrived late one evening and then awoke the next morning (in really bad accommodations) to black stormy sky and heavy rain......and no reservations, again. I was weary at this point, the thought of searching for yet another place to stay was more than I was up for. We saw the confederation bridge and on a whim decided to head for home, we'd save PEI for another time.

This was my first trip to the East Coast but it definitely won't be my last, I am totally and completely taken with its unique style and the beautiful landscape. I think its a paradise for Designer's and foodies alike. Not only is there stunning ocean views and valleys and forests, its the freshest cleanest air I have ever breathed, the freshest most delicious food I've ever had and the most charming character homes I've ever seen. It was a bit of a whirlwind tour so on my next trip there I look forward to doing some serious exploring!

THE END.

All Photos: Carol Reed