I think the perfect cat for you would be an adult cat, maybe even one being rehomed because they don't get along with other cats. Square footage doesn't matter as much as vertical space. If you have windows your cat can look out of, maybe a cat tree (from Craiglist). My cats are happy on the back of my sofa looking out the window.
As far as the kitchen is concerned, I wouldn't worry so much about an adult cat getting into places they shouldn't. Having said that, I still have the space between my microwave cart and stove blocked off so the cats can't get behind the stove.
As far as the kitchen is concerned, I wouldn't worry so much about an adult cat getting into places they shouldn't. Having said that, I still have the space between my microwave cart and stove blocked off so the cats can't get behind the stove.