40 Best Small House Plans That Are Just The Right Size

Charming details and cottage styling, like board-and-batten and shake finishes, give this house its distinctive personality. Designed by Georgia-based Caldwell Cline Architects & Designers, it has two stories, plus a walkout basement with potential space for another bedroom, family room, and patio.

• 3 or 4 bedrooms and 2 ½ or 3 ½ bathrooms
• 2,360 square feet

This comfortable design, covered with shingle and board-and-batten siding, can be built as a primary residence or as a getaway spot. Almost a perfect square at 42- x 43 feet wide, the three-story, Frank Betz design has 10-foot-tall ceilings on the main level, several porches, a walkout basement, and an attic.

• 3 bedrooms and 3 ½ bathrooms
• 2,553 square feet

Built into the side of a hill, this Frank Betz plan is perfect for a mountainside retreat. The first floor features two bedrooms and an open 1,588-square-foot layout, and the lower level has a terrace, two more bedrooms, and two flex spaces.

• 4 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms
• 2,704 square feet

This classic bungalow takes advantage of every square inch of space. The open kitchen-dining-living space lives large, and there are plenty of porches to escape to the outdoors.

• 3 bedrooms and 2 ½ bathrooms
• 1,679 square feet

An easygoing, laid-back warmth characterizes this cozy cottage. Designed as part of Southern Living’s Reynolds Cottages Collection, the plan has three stories with a whole floor between the primary and secondary bedrooms for additional privacy.

• 3 bedrooms and 2 ½ bathrooms
• 1,798 square feet

Inside and out, this classical house teems with ideas that reflect the historic charm of traditional Southern architecture. Think board-and-batten exterior finishes, vaulted ceilings, and anchoring fireplaces in this Frank Betz plan.

• 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms
• 2,626 square feet

At 28 feet wide and 66 feet deep, this shotgun-inspired home is Southern through and through. The deep metal roof overhangs over a porch that wraps around most of the house, maximizing the outdoor living space.

• 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms
• 1,435 square feet

Striper’s Cottage, Plan #1388

Also part of the Reynolds Cottages Collection, here’s a warm, inviting year-round retreat where friends and family can relax. The plan has large porches, two stories, and a spacious family room.

• 3 bedrooms and 2 ½ bathrooms
• 1,678 square feet

This cozy Frank Betz cottage proves that good things come in small packages. Wood siding, stone, and shutters add charm to the home’s facade. The basement can be finished off to add another 1,118 square feet of living space, and the plan comes with a garage.

• 3 bedrooms and 2 ½ bathrooms
• 1,593 square feet

Here’s a compact, rustic-style house with plenty of style and flexibility. Open planning in the great room provides more living space, and the home has several covered porches, an old-fashioned sleeping porch, and a garage.

• 3 bedrooms and 2 ½ bathrooms
• 1,715 square feet

This Frank Betz-designed floor plan makes the most of one-level living with an open kitchen-dining-living plan on one side of the home and a wing of bedrooms on the other. The 50 x 52-foot house comes with a small porch, garage, and optional basement.

• 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms
• 1,777 square feet

This home’s symmetrical shape takes advantage of every usable space, allowing for spacious living and dining areas. The Craftsman-inspired house keeps the primary downstairs, placing the two secondary bedrooms and a jack-and-jill bathroom on the second level.

• 3 bedrooms and 2 ½ bathrooms
• 1,771 square feet

The peaked roofline, shake siding, and welcoming front porch make this design an instant classic. The John Tee design has three stories, 10-foot ceilings on the main level, and optional terraces and loft areas.

• 5 bedrooms and 4 ½ bathrooms
• 2,356 square feet

This open plan, which merges the living and dining rooms, and the tall ceilings create one large living space on the main level. A galley kitchen connects the family space to the breakfast room, utility room, and covered back porch.

• 3 bedrooms and 2 ½ bathrooms
• 1,705 square feet

This flexible, three-story floor plan has everything you need, including plenty of bedrooms, a spacious screened porch, and several fireplaces. A large picture window lets lots of light into the open kitchen-dining-living space.

• 5 bedrooms and 3 ½ bathrooms
• 2,670 square feet

Comfort, casual style, and thoughtful visual details define this house. The one-story plan includes a stone ledge for potted plants on the porch, a niche for art in the foyer, and banquette seating in the breakfast room, as well as three bedrooms.

• 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms
• 1,588 square feet

Compact and very functional, this cottage-style plan is an easy fit for any family. The John Tee design has several porches, a lofted second story, three bedrooms, and a roomy living room.

• 3 bedrooms and 2 ½ bathrooms
• 1,527 square feet

Inspired by historic seaside architecture, this design combines the comfort of a vacation home with thoughtful features that make everyday life easier for today’s busy families. A large hall separates the family spaces from the downstairs bedroom, and the plan includes plenty of window seating, a private porch for the primary, two foyers, and lots of storage.

• 2 bedrooms and 2 ½ bathrooms
• 1,798 square feet

Although this charming farmhouse cottage is small, it has plenty of porch space. It is one of four designs created on country music star Barbara Mandrell’s Tennessee estate, Fontanel, for Southern Living’s 2013 Idea House.

• 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms
• 1,099 square feet

With Lowcountry influences in its design, this home has plenty of Southern charisma. Relax by the double-sided fireplace, enjoy the breeze on the screened porch, or look out the window from the flex office-bedroom space.

• 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms
• 1,721 square feet

At just 30 x 36 feet, this two-bed, two-bath cabin couldn’t be a cuter hideaway for the lake. It’s rustic and sweet, with plenty of vignettes, like two cozy porches, to hang out and relax in.

• 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms
• 973 square feet

Calling all gardeners—this adorable house plan has latticework details on the porch and plenty of space for bountiful window boxes. Inside, you can relax in either the dining room’s or the downstairs bedroom’s bay window.

• 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms
• 1,398 square feet

If you’re looking for the perfect new old-home architecture, meet your new cottage. The Allison Ramsey Architects-designed plan has a portico, columns, dormer windows, lap siding, and more.

• 3 bedrooms and 2 ½ bathrooms
• 1,720 square feet

This one-bedroom cottage has just the right amount of space for simple upkeep. Set it up as a tiny guest house or as a private, standalone mother-in-law suite.

• 1 bedroom and 1 bathroom
• 656 square feet

In addition to this picture-perfect front porch, this classic house plan also has a screened back porch. It has three bedrooms, 11-foot ceilings, and a detached garage.

• 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms
• 1,804 square feet

The name of this house plan says it all: Living in a cottage this cute is like living on Cloud 9. We can’t decide what we love more—the charming exteriors, the huge back porch, or the bunk bed areas upstairs.

• 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms
• 1,200 square feet

This cottage has plenty of space for your family to come back and visit if you’re an empty nester looking to downsize. Plus, all the guest spaces are upstairs, giving you some added privacy.

• 3 bedrooms and 2 ½ bathrooms
• 1,623 square feet

Whether you’re at the lake, beach, or mountains, you can catch nature from all its good angles with this cabin. It’s a house plan with scenic views in mind, as well as two downstairs bedrooms and a sleeping loft that will feel like a slumber party every night.

• 3 bedrooms and 1 bathroom
• 930 square feet

This home is sure to be the most inviting one on the block. It has English cottage vibes with its dormer windows, shake siding, steep roofline, and picturesque chimney.

• 3 bedrooms and 2 ½ bathrooms
• 1,800 square feet

This open-plan home is filled with natural light and has an expansive back porch. The one-story house separates the primary suite from the secondary bedrooms, leaving a large family space in between.

• 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms
• 1,610 square feet

At this beachside bungalow, there are no worries, so sit back and kick your feet up. The floor plan isn’t large, but when you’re right on the water, you won’t want to waste time indoors.

• 1 bedroom and 1 bathroom
• 484 square feet

We can already picture ourselves cozy by the fire or on the screened porch that’s larger than both bedrooms in this sweet cabin. Make it light and bright or homey and warm, but however you decorate it, play up those windows.

• 2 bedrooms and 1 bathroom
• 1,426 square feet

Despite its small square footage, this quaint guest cottage features one bedroom, a fireplace, a sitting area, a full bath, and a loft space. At less than 650 square feet, it’s sure to fit on any lot.

• 1 bedroom and 1 bathroom
• 619 square feet

Ideal for entertaining guests, this plan separates shared and private spaces with a great room and kitchen near the entrance and the bed and bathrooms attached as a wing to the side. Plus, two porches add another 578 square feet of living space.

• 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms
• 1,560 square feet

This house plan highlights the perfect layout for a guest cottage. There’s no kitchen, but here you maximize your efficiency without adding extra square footage.

• 1 bedroom and 1 bathroom
• 430 square feet

Flanked by bedrooms and baths, this family-friendly house has a spacious living space and an eat-in kitchen sandwiched between the front and back porches. Plus, 10-foot ceilings make the whole space feel airy.

• 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms
• 1,606 square feet

Ideal for year-round living, this John Tee-designed house plan uses a classically symmetrical layout with bedrooms on either side of the main living space. The exteriors are just as symmetrical with a central gable and equally sized porches at the front and back of the homes.

• 3 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms
• 1,776 square feet

Mango Cottage, Plan #1623

Two primary bedrooms make this cottage layout ideal for empty nesters who plan to host their children or guests for long weekends. And there’s plenty of loft space to store bulky suitcases.

• 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms
• 1,334 square feet

Whisper Creek, Plan #1653

A stone chimney and a vaulted ceiling make this home warm and welcoming—it’s ideal for building near a mountain or lake. At the end of the day, relax on the wraparound porch or in the library.

• 2 bedrooms and 2 ½ bathrooms
• 1,555 square feet

This efficient design combines a living, dining, and kitchen area so you can entertain family and friends. Two bedrooms and baths complete the other half of the 58-foot-deep house.

• 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms
• 1,257 square feet