I totally agree. Layout is KEY. My house is a 2 story with only 2000 sq-ft, yet it feels just right. I’ve been to some 2900 sq-ft houses and it actually feel smaller than my 2000 sq-ft house. It makes me wonder where the sq-ft go? Also, the orientation and amount/placement of windows makes a huge difference too. My house feels a lot more brighter than some of those 2900 sq-ft I’ve been in. Due to the amount of lights, it also makes the house feel bigger as well.
So, assuming we’re talking about a good layout floor plan, I would be perfectly happy with a 2000-2500 sq-ft single story on 1/4 acre lot w/ an ocean view. I also prefer a wider lot than a narrower lot. So, preferably, I would like a 100×100 sq-ft lot over a 50×200 sq-ft lot.
