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You'd probably need to ask the client what sort of things impress him. If he's merely interested in looking green, then a log cabin with visible mud cement, unfaced strawbale insulation, and a centrally located firepit is a fine choice. Place the house on the north side of the street and put solar collectors on the roof. The key is to make sure everyone can see the differences between his house and a conventional one.
If he's actually interested in being green, otoh, then he'll probably want something built to the Passivhaus standard. I'd start with R13 windows, R50 walls, near zero air infiltration, and a ventilation heat exchanger. A Passivhaus can be built with a peak heating load of 1W/ft². Place it on the south side of the street so the large, south-facing windows give free heat and lighting in addition to some privacy. Light colored walls and floor covering carry the light into the house better.
I favor the "country kitchen" layout, which uses the kitchen table not only as space to eat and entertain guests, but also as a way to divide the kitchen from the living room. A 300ft² home should be comfortable and not at all crowded.
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