I like the look of socks made with short row heels (SRH,) however they are too tight for me when the pattern is knit 'as is.' The last socks I made have SRH where the heels are done over 60% of the stitches and they fit nicely.
My current project is the Zokni pattern, http://www.pepperknit.com/patterns/ZokniSocksPattern.pdf , done toe-up and also has a SRH, but I didn't want to use pattern sts for the heel because I didn't know if it would work using yo/eyelet sts and still look nice. Instead I added ease by increasing stitches before starting the heel, then decreased by the same amount after the heel was done.
The heel needle on these green socks had 6 inc/dec sts worked over 5 rows each, ie worked on 36 sts instead of 30 and the instep needle has 30 sts throughout.
*NB I made sure that the inc/dec sts are 1 knit st away from a yo/eyelet.
- at point A, 5 rows before the beginning of the heel, start increases on alternate rows, ie inc 1 st on each side of heel sts on first and subsequent odd rows, knit plain on even rows.*
- make SRH, start with knit 35sts, wrap last stitch, turn ... (More rows are needed to work heel down to 14 'live' stitches as well as back up to 36 sts.)
- at point B, start dec 1 on each end of heel sts* on alternate rows until you have 30 heel sts.
This should also work for cuff down socks and numbers can be adjusted for a custom fit.
Mar 11, am
chinook arch
NB: next time I must remember to 1. start the eye of partridge st ~1/2" before the start of the SRH so the sock will hug the back/top of the heel and 2. do the 2-st dec later for a roomier instep.) 
