This week’s “Hello” blog post is the counterpoint to last week’s “Goodbye Lake Oconee Georgia!”. I’m thrilled to share that we’ve landed in a new location ― Hello Sunrise Trail on Nova Scotia’s North Shore! After checking out a variety of neighbourhoods and patiently scouring the local real estate listings, we got lucky and found the one! It’s a unique waterfront property on Nova Scotia’s North Shore facing the Northumberland Strait.
But before I start the house tour, let me take a minute to orient those who may not know where to find Nova Scotia’s North Shore. Nova Scotia is one of the ten provinces and three territories that comprise Canada. But it’s only a tiny part of this vast nation. As the world’s second largest country (Russia is the largest), Canada has an area of approximately 9.985 million km2 (3.8 million mi2). Canada is surrounded by oceans on three sides ― the Pacific Ocean to the west, Arctic Ocean to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. As shown below, Nova Scotia is located on the east coast along with the other three provinces that make up the Atlantic Provinces – Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island (PEI).
At only about 0.005% of Canada’s land area, Nova Scotia is the country’s second smallest province. It is also the second-most densely populated with an estimated population of over 1 million as of 2025. The neighbouring province of PEI is the smallest and most densely populated Canadian province.
One of Nova Scotia’s most notable features is its close connection to the sea. With the exception of a 24km-wide (15mi) isthmus which connects Nova Scotia to New Brunswick, the province is surrounded by water. There are over 13,300km (8264mi) of coastline according to the Nova Scotia tourism website. “In Nova Scotia you’re never more than 60 kilometres from the ocean.”
Nova Scotia has several scenic roadways which follow along the province’s coastlines and connect the seaside communities. One of those is the Sunrise Trail ― it starts in the town of Amherst and travels along the province’s North Shore for about 333 km (207 mi) to the Canso Causeway. I’ve circled the North Shore and inserted a graphic of the Sunrise Trail on the map below.
So that’s the big picture ― now on to the specifics. Our new home has its own unique style. In fact, I didn’t even know what to call the architectural style until I did some online research. Turns out, there’s no definitive answer ― some sources label this style as “modern”, others label it as “contemporary”, and still others suggest a variation such as “contemporary coastal” or “modern coastal cottage”. Since the “contemporary” label seems to be most prevalent and since the house is undisputedly on the coast, I’m going to go with “contemporary coastal”.
So here it is… our new-to-us, contemporary coastal home on the North Shore of Nova Scotia!
Before I dive into the details, though, I’d like to point out that most of these photos come from the real estate listing. While the interior shots aren’t great, they do show the house with furniture which makes it easier to understand scale and proportion. I can’t wait to get settled with our own furniture and belongings!
Despite the differing opinions on what to call it, there is general agreement on the characteristics of this house style. In their article What is a Modern House Design? Key Characteristics, JAG Construction explains “it’s a style rooted in the 20th century. Influenced by the Bauhaus movement and Mid-Century Modernism, modern architecture emerged as a reaction to the overly decorative styles of the 19th century. The goal was to create spaces that were practical, simple, and free from unnecessary ornamentation … A modern house isn’t defined by one single trait; instead, it’s a collection of specific features that make it unique”. The article goes on to list and describe five characteristics of this house style.
1. Clean Geometry
The first characteristic of a contemporary/modern style house is clean geometry. The JAG Construction article explains these homes “emphasize clean lines, simple shapes, and a minimalist look without unnecessary details.”
The first thing that caught our attention as we approached this house was the view of the Northumberland Strait or, more accurately, a harbour off the Strait. But the clean lines and simple shapes of the house’s architecture were a close second.
2. Natural Light
The second characteristic of a contemporary/modern style house is natural light. “Large, unadorned windows allow plenty of natural light, creating a bright and airy atmosphere.” Our new house definitely showcases this characteristic especially in the living room with its grand Palladian-style window.
3. Open Floor Plans
The third characteristic of a contemporary/modern style house is open floor plans. “Rooms flow into each other without many walls, making the space feel larger and more connected.” This house certainly has an open floor plan. On the main floor, the entryway, living room, dining room and kitchen all flow into each other. Plus, there’s an elaborate, open staircase and a small, interior balcony which visually connect the main and second floors.
4. Neutral Colors and Natural Materials
The fourth characteristic of a contemporary/modern style house is neutral colors and natural materials. This design style “prefers neutral tones like white, gray, and beige, paired with materials like wood, stone, and concrete for a natural look.”
This house has a splendid exposed post-and-beam construction with a cathedral-style vaulted ceiling ― all of which is accentuated by the warm, rich colors and distinctive grain of natural oak. The open staircase also showcases the beauty of natural wood with elaborately turned columns, newel posts, spindles and balusters. To be honest, when I first entered the house, I found the abundance of natural wood a little overwhelming. It’s beautiful ― but it’s a lot! The challenge, as I’ve been learning, will be to decorate in a way that balances the visual weight of the wood.
The kitchen and main floor bathroom were updated recently. In keeping with the style of the house, they are finished in neutral colors and natural materials. The kitchen features white cabinets, dark grey, granite quartz countertops, stainless steel appliances, chrome hardware and a white, marble tile backsplash.
The bathroom features white, marble tile with grey cabinets.
5. Integration with Outdoor Spaces
The fifth and final characteristic of a contemporary/modern style house, as defined by the JAG Construction article, is integration with outdoor spaces. These homes “often feature patios, balconies, and large windows that connect indoor spaces with the outdoors.”
This house has lots of large windows which bring the wide-open expanses of water and sky inside the house. This is a photo I took recently through the front window ― it was obviously taken at a different time of day and in different weather conditions than the other photos in this blog post.
Also visible from many of the windows is the supersized lawn which surrounds the house. There is little to no landscaping ― it’s essentially a clean slate ― with only a few sparse shrubs and plants growing along one side of the foundation. An abundance of pretty birch trees in the nearby woods suggests they could be planted throughout. My mind is whirring with the possibilities but that will all have to wait until spring!
Another way in which this house connects indoor spaces with the outdoors is via the sunroom. It’s rather unusual in that it’s a standalone structure detached from the house. The sunroom is, however, readily accessible across the deck. It’s a generous size and we’re looking forward to using it as a greenhouse next season.
There are a few more spaces to share before I wrap up this tour. This is the primary bedroom on the main floor.
The room shown below was billed as a multimedia or TV room in the real estate listing. We are planning to use it as a second bedroom on the main floor.
On the second floor, at the top of the staircase, there’s a small room which we’ll use as a home office.
There are also two bedrooms on the second floor. The bedroom shown below faces the water and, I think it’s fair to say, has the best view in the house! The plan is to turn this room into my studio with my desk positioned directly in front of that gorgeous panorama.
In summary, our new-to-us, contemporary coastal home exhibits all the characteristics of this house style including clean geometry, natural light, open floor plans, neutral colors and natural materials, and integration with outdoor spaces. “These features make a modern house feel both peaceful and connected to nature.” explains the JAG Construction article. “The simplicity of the design and the use of natural elements are a big part of what makes modern homes so appealing.” And we’re thrilled to be calling this stunning place home!
More Info
Previous blog posts mentioned in this blog post include:
. Goodbye Lake Oconee Georgia!
The following resources were consulted in writing this blog post:
. Map of Canada and Map of Nova Scotia on Canada-Maps website
. Canadian Provinces and Territories by Size on the WorldAtlas website
. Population Density of Canada on the Canada Population website
. Sunrise Trail Magazine website
. Tourism Nova Scotia website
. What is a Modern House Design? Key Characteristics article by JAG Construction website
. Various Wikipedia entries.
Today’s Takeaways
1. The province of Nova Scotia, located on Canada’s east coast, has a close connection with the sea.
2. “Modern architecture emerged as a reaction to the overly decorative styles of the 19th century. The goal was to create spaces that were practical, simple, and free from unnecessary ornamentation.” JAG Construction website
3. The characteristics of a contemporary coastal home include clean geometry, natural light, open floor plans, neutral colors and natural materials, and integration with outdoor spaces. 
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