I’ve always been a fan of bookshelf/standmount speakers. I heard the comment in the past that a good big ‘un beats a good little ‘un and generally I agree with that, though I still like standmounts for a few reasons. I agree that standmounts with stands taking up pretty much the same amount of floor space, but I find the standmounts can have a smaller visual impact.
I tend to build my own speakers, so I find that smaller speakers are easier to build in my shop. Materials cost is less as well.
As mentioned above, for a given budget it may be possible to go higher up a manufactures line for a smaller speaker, though in some cases the cost of the stands can even out that difference.
Good thing is that there are plenty of options no matter your preference.