Home Ready to Downsize? These House Plans Under 1,800 Square Feet Are Perfect for Empty Nesters By Kaitlyn Yarborough Kaitlyn Yarborough Part of the Southern Living team since 2017, Kaitlyn Yarborough is a Georgia native living in Austin, Texas, who covers a wide variety of topics for both the magazine and website, focusing on culture and lifestyle content, as well as travel in the South.She earned a B.A. in Journalism at the University of Georgia. She hopes to inspire your travel bucket list with her features on road trips through Texas Hill Country, bourbon tours in Kentucky, and the best beach getaways on the Gulf Coast. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on December 3, 2021 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Southern Living Your flock has emptied the nest. You're looking around a big, quiet house that is full of memories, to be sure, but that is suddenly too big and quiet. What does that mean? It might be time to downsize. Let's make something clear: Downsizing doesn't need to feel like downgrading. It's all about making the most of your square footage with smart design, which is just what Southern Living House Plans do best.These house plans all fall under 1,800 square feet, which is really all you need for easy living. Do you want somewhere cozy to take your coffee in the morning? Try a house plan like Hawthorn Cottage with screened-in porch space that lives larger than the biggest living room. Are you worried about enough sleep space for family visits? Pick a house plan like Cloudland Cottage that incorporates bunk bed nooks in otherwise-unused spaces. These small house plans are perfect for downsizing in style. Whether you're ready now or you're just window shopping, here are our top picks for empty nesters. 01 of 16 Hawthorn Cottage, Plan #2004 Southern Living House Plans; Photo: Lake and Land Studio, LLC This cottage is made for easy living, from the large shared space to the private bedrooms to the cozy screened-in porch (that preferably overlooks gorgeous Southern scenery). 2 bedroom/2 bath1,611 square feetSee Plan: Hawthorn Cottage 02 of 16 Fontanel Carriage House, Plan #1856 Southern Living Tiny house lovers, rejoice! This Fontanel carriage house plan packs its 1,099 square-feet full of country farmhouse charm. 2 bedroom/2 bath1,099 square feetSee Plan: Fontanel Carriage House 03 of 16 Beaufort Cottage, Plan #1136 Southern Living House Plans This Carolina-inspired cottage is a beautiful blend of past and present. A galley-style kitchen and fireplace-focused living space makes the house plan feel warm and welcoming. 3 bedroom/2.5 bath1,720 square feetSee Plan: Beaufort Cottage 04 of 16 Palmetto Cottage, Plan #2009 Southern Living House Plans; Photo: John McManus Want something extra small? Look no further than this Lowcountry-inspired guest cottage with an eat-in kitchen, a private bedroom suite, and gracious front porch living. It's perfect for those who travel often and desire little-to-no upkeep. 1 bedroom/1.5 bath656 square feetSee Plan: Palmetto Cottage 05 of 16 Canton Row, Plan #1938 Southern Living An open kitchen-dining-living space allows for entertaining and family time when hosting, but your favorite part will be the side screened porch. It's the perfect little nook. 3 bedroom/2.5 bath1,623 square feetSee Plan: Canton Row 06 of 16 Shoreline Cottage, Plan #490 Southern Living If you want something simple that still lets you capture serene views from all sides, this house plan is the way to go. The board-and-batten exterior, gabled roof, and generous porch set a traditional tone, while tall windows and an open interior make the home more modern. 3 bedroom/1 bath930 square feetSee Plan: Shoreline Cottage 07 of 16 Nautical Cottage, Plan #224 Southern Living Inspired by small summer cottages in the South, this house plan with an open living-dining-kitchen space is basically made for those who love relaxing at home. 3 bedroom/2 bath1,315 square feetSee Plan: Nautical Cottage 08 of 16 Randolph Cottage, Plan #1861 Southern Living Mix your Southern charm with a little bit of New England style. This cottage lives bigger than its just-right size, thanks to an open floor plan. 3 bedroom/2.5 bath1,800 square feetSee Plan: Randolph Cottage 09 of 16 St. George Cottage, Plan #1906 Southern Living This coastal-inspired cottage makes the most of its compact square footage with an open layout. May we suggest positioning the full-width rear covered porch in front of bay or ocean views? 3 bedroom/3 bath1,581 square feetSee Plan: St. George Cottage 10 of 16 Whisper Creek, Plan #1653 Southern Living If this isn't the perfect house plan for a empty nesters' mountain or lake escape, we don't know what is. 2 bedroom/2.5 bath1,555 square feetSee Plan: Whisper Creek 11 of 16 Cloudland Cottage, Plan #1894 Southern Living Who said you have to sacrifice sleep space? This cottage makes use of its small square footage with smart bunk bed nooks (apart from the two bedrooms) for when you're hosting family in town. A nearly 200-square-foot back porch makes a perfect place to hang. 2 bedroom/2 bath1,200 square feetSee Plan: Cloudland Cottage 12 of 16 Sparta II, Plan #1810 Southern Living House Plans For those having a hard time giving up the square footage, explore this Colonial-inspired house plan at the tippety-top of our range. 3 bedroom/3.5 bath1,804 square feetSee Plan: Sparta II 13 of 16 Rustic Beach Cottage, Plan #360 Southern Living We made sure to give this beach cottage a touch of Southern charm with its large covered porch with lattice detail. The back deck area is perfect for summer cookouts with your family or neighbors. 2 bedroom/2 bath1,398 square feetSee Plan: Rustic Beach Cottage 14 of 16 Sugarberry Cottage, Plan #1648 Southern Living The layout of this two-floor house plan will feel similar to a traditional family home, which will make the empty nester transition easier. Plenty of covered and screened porch space helps the space live larger than its not-too-big size. 3 bedroom/2.5 bath1,679 square feetSee Plan: Sugarberry Cottage 15 of 16 Deer Run, Plan #731 Southern Living This house plans shows cabin living at its best. It makes for the perfect hideaway for the lake or mountains, with a design that combines compactness and rustic styling. The front porch looks like just the place to set up a couple of chairs—or hanging swing—and take a load off, don't y'all think? 2 bedroom/2 bath972 square feetSee Plan: Deer Run 16 of 16 River's Edge, Plan #1977 Southern Living House Plans You'll find rest and relaxation is easy to come by in a small but spacious house plan. 3 bedroom/2.5 bath1,721 square feetSee Plan: River's Edge Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit