Sydney homes have seen some weather. Built on the harbour where the steel plant and the coal mines shaped a century of Cape Breton life, the city has some of the most characterful older housing in the province: company-era homes in Whitney Pier, Victorian houses in the North End, and solid post-war neighbourhoods spreading out toward Ashby, Westmount and Coxheath.
Cape Breton winters arrive off the Atlantic with wind, wet snow and long nights. On December 21 the sun sets at about 4:17 p.m. here, nearly twenty minutes earlier than in Halifax. Windows are where a lot of heat leaves a Sydney home, and that is where we start.
Every blind is measured in your home, made in our Nova Scotia workshop and installed by our own crew. Cape Breton measures are scheduled on regular trips across the Causeway, and most orders are installed about two weeks after.
What Sydney homes need
Warmth first. Cellular shades, double-cell on the windward side, are the most effective way to cut drafts from older windows.
Damp-proof choices. Harbour air and basement humidity call for moisture-resistant faux wood and roller shades.
Respect for older homes. Lined Roman shades and careful measuring for frames that have settled over a hundred years.
Atlantic Light in Sydney
Approximate times, calculated for Sydney's location. Compare all 45 communities.
| Shortest day (Dec 21) | Longest day (Jun 21) | |
|---|---|---|
| Sunrise | 7:40 a.m. | 5:09 a.m. |
| Sunset | 4:17 p.m. | 8:55 p.m. |
| Daylight | 8 h 37 min | 15 h 46 min |
| Sun height at noon | 20° | 67° |
What it means for your windows: With the sun topping out at about 20 degrees in December, low light comes in under eaves and porch roofs that shade the same windows in summer. Glare control matters most from November to February. Dawn at about 5:09 a.m. in June is the main reason families here ask us for blackout bedrooms.
Sydney neighbourhoods we serve
We also serve Westmount, Coxheath, Sydney River, Membertou, Sydney Mines, North Sydney and New Waterford.
Popular in Sydney
- Plantation shutters: hardwood or composite, made to the millimetre
- Cellular shades: the warmest window covering you can buy
- Faux wood blinds: built for steam and damp
- Roller shades: clean and simple, sheer to blackout
- Roman shades: sewn by hand in our workshop
Frequently asked questions
Do you install custom blinds in Sydney and Cape Breton?
Yes. Atlantic Shades measures and installs custom blinds and shades in Sydney and across industrial Cape Breton, including Whitney Pier, Ashby, the North End, Glace Bay, Sydney Mines and North Sydney. Measures are free and scheduled on regular Cape Breton trips.
What are the best blinds for a drafty Cape Breton house?
Double-cell cellular shades with side channels. They trap a layer of air against the glass and seal the edges, which reduces heat loss and the cold air that falls into a room from older windows.
How long do blinds take to arrive in Sydney?
Most Sydney orders are installed about two weeks after the measure. Because Cape Breton installs are grouped into scheduled trips, we confirm your exact date when you approve your quote.
Nearby: Glace Bay · Antigonish · New Glasgow · All of Nova Scotia