My house is about 950 sq.ft. It's 2 bedrooms, 1 bath, living room, dining room and kitchen. There's a tiny wash house off the porch and a 1 1/2 car detached garage. It was built in 1927 and has lathe and plaster walls. The living room and dining room are coved near the top with a small raised panel for the ceiling.
I've done much work on this house and it's still not done. Bit by bit, it will get there. It now has new, upgraded electrical; all copper plumbing; custom built kitchen cabinets; and the entire outside has been restuccoed in colored stucco so it will never have to be painted again.
I looked at A LOT of houses before I decided on this one. Even though it's small, it has a great layout that makes it feel some what spacious. Personally, I think layout is the most important part of a small house. I walked into some that made me feel like I was entering a cave. This one had plenty of light/windows and just welcomes you when you walk in the door.
CJ