Building a home on the beach doesn’t necessarily mean choosing the biggest, most extravagant design plans. In fact, a thoughtfully designed small beach house often delivers the perfect balance of luxury, efficiency, and connection to the shoreline that many homeowners desire.
At SDC House Plans, we take pride in ALL of our home plans—both big and small.
Our collection of compact beach homes proves that reduced square footage never means compromising on style, functionality, or that coveted ocean lifestyle.
Ready to discover your ideal coastal retreat? Below, we’ve curated 18 of our most stunning small beach house designs—all under 2,000 square feet—that brilliantly combine luxury, practicality, and seaside charm.
1) Point Harbor
Our smallest coastal home plan, the 1464-square-foot Point Harbor offers that distinct beachy charm and everything you’d want from a luxury beachfront property. The design features a generous master’s suite on the main floor, an inviting open-concept living area, a walk-in pantry, and two extra bedrooms on the second floor.
2) Oak Shores
Slightly larger at just 1482 square feet, Oak Shores includes a sizable front porch space, ideal for a cozy reading nook or a small table and chairs. In the back, you’ll find a grilling deck just the right size for a grill, a few chairs, and maybe even a smoker. A couple of other highlights include a spacious laundry room and a large master’s walk-in closet.
3) Bay Tree Cottage
A popular beach home plan, Bay Tree Cottage features a welcoming open floor plan, a front-facing master’s suite, and two spare bedrooms on the first floor—altogether spanning 1492 square feet. Want a little extra space? Add a second-floor office and recreation area for some more room for work and play.
4) Heron Cove
Our 1501-square-foot Heron Cove is great for families, offering three comfortable bedrooms, plenty of storage space, a covered patio area, and cozy porches on both the front and rear of the home. Need an additional bedroom or playroom? Add a second floor for 452 square feet of bonus space.
5) Blair Island
Sitting at 1531 square feet, Blair Island is ideal for families looking for a space-optimized house plan. The first floor boasts a roomy open floor plan, a substantial master’s suite, and a conveniently large laundry room. Up the stairs, you’ll find two more bedrooms, a bathroom, a large closet, and walk-in attic storage. Not to mention the lovely front porch and grilling deck out back.
6) Sand Dollar
Similar in a lot of ways to our Blair Island design, the 1558-square-foot Sand Dollar house plan offers an extra room ideal for a home office or playroom on the second floor. And while it doesn’t offer walk-in attic storage, it features a few more windows, designed to invite lots of natural light into the home.
7) Windjammer
A compact 3-bedroom beach cottage spanning just one floor, Windjammer offers all the essentials for a relaxed beachfront lifestyle. Some of our customers’ favorite features include the walk-in pantry, master’s suite sauna, outdoor shower, and spacious back porch. Add a ground-level recreation level and fourth bedroom with Windjammer 2 or upgrade to Windjammer 3 to move the master’s suite to the back of the home.
8) Seaview Cottage
Looking for something simple, yet steeped in luxury? Our 1656-square-foot Seaview Cottage may be just the plan for you, with its spacious porches, partially covered rear deck, vast open floor plan, large kitchen island, and walk-in attic storage.
9) Seabreeze
Welcoming guests with a grand central staircase, Seabreeze pleases the eye inside and out. The 3-bedroom, 1657-square-foot home utilizes space extremely well, boasting an expansive first-floor living space, large kitchen island, second-floor home office, rear grilling deck, and even an outdoor shower.
10) Harbor Island
Enticing from all angles, the 1664-square-foot Harbor Island impresses with its extensive rear porch, large living room, generous garage space, outdoor shower, and 402-square-foot master suite up on the second floor.
11) Bodie Island
Spanning a single floor and 1707 square feet, Bodie Island gives a contemporary take on compact coastal design. The split-level entry creates a dynamic entrance and keeps entrance stairs short for tight lots. Other notable features include a large kitchen with an island and walk-in pantry, a luxurious open floor plan, and an extensive owner’s suite.
12) Rosemary Cottage
Rosemary Cottage is a lovely 1754-square-foot design for owners who want to maximize views from the front of their home. But the vast front-facing porches aren’t all this plan has going for it. It also features a reverse floor plan, a grand foyer, a walk-in pantry, and his and her’s closets in the master suite.
13) Sea Spray Cottage
Our smallest home plan with the option to incorporate an elevator, the 1813-square-foot Sea Spray Cottage is a great choice for families and retirees alike. Some distinguishing features include an upstairs home office (with three large windows), three spacious bedrooms, and a substantial laundry room that doubles as a walk-in pantry.
14) Allston Creek
Need something sleek and slim? Allston Creek is our narrowest beach house plan. Favoring front-facing views, the 1825-square-foot design includes 3 sizeable bedrooms, a large home office (or fourth bedroom), ample ground-level storage, and front porches on both floors.
15) Sandpiper Cottage
One of our most popular coastal home designs, Sandpiper Cottage is both comfortable and functional. Homeowners adore its vast kitchen and main living space, which leads directly to a spacious front porch. The master’s bedroom has its own private deck out back. And the design even includes a laundry chute from the second floor. Upgrade to Sandpiper Cottage 2 to add a home elevator for enhanced accessibility.
16) Core Sound Cottage
Spread across 1916 square feet, Core Sound Cottage brings coastal luxury to a whole new level. Love the idea of a reverse floor plan? This traditional beach home plan boasts a generous upper-level kitchen and living area with a walk-in pantry, a fireplace, and a wet bar. Other highlights include a spacious master’s suite (along with two other first-floor bedrooms, his and her’s master suite closets, and dual-level front porches).
17) Brunswick Cove
A single-floor, 3-bedroom beach cottage, the 1945-square-foot Brunswick Cove features grand, towering ceilings, an adorable breakfast nook, a large rear master’s suite and double-sided closet, and a central fireplace. But the biggest draw of our Brunswick Cove design? The wrap-around porches that nearly envelop the home.
18) Huntington Beach
On the hunt for a relaxing coastal getaway? Huntington Beach is a sure contender. With all 3 bedrooms situated on the upper level, the first floor is reserved for entertainment and good company, featuring a massive kitchen, walk-in pantry, open living space, and both front and rear porches. And despite its expansive interior living spaces, Huntington Beach actually has a rather compact footprint, making it an optimal choice for smaller lots.
Browse Our Incredible Small Beach House Designs
Ready to take the leap and bring your dream beach house to life? Explore our coastal home designs today to find the perfect plan for your needs.
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