Tom:

I recently finished the remodel of my 8 x 10 (approx) kitchen. Since I'm in a condo with certain restrictions on venting, etc., the footprint had to remain the same. I didn't find any particular resources that focused on small kitchens although KBIS has a design competition and one of the categories is for small kitchens. Their idea of small is a lot bigger than my kitchen!

You might want to consider working with a kitchen designer. That is the route that I took. The KD that I worked with was allied with a few cabinet companies but she was there, first and foremost, as a KD. She knew how to take advantage of every inch of space. I interviewed several designers so I had a sense of their aesthetic and how well it would fit with what I wanted.

As far as style, that's a decision that you and your wife should make. If my KD told me that I should go with an all white, very traditional kitchen, I would have walked out the door. That's not me nor would it have fit with my space.

I used Google Sketch-up as a means of playing with the space. It's free and is 3-D software.

You might also want to look at the Finished Kitchen Blog. If you search for the FAQ on this discussion board, you will find the link to the FKB. You can search for small kitchens there. I'm including the link to my photos, as well.

Here is a link that might be useful: Finished kitchen photos

you may turn up some threads seraching the forum for "small kitchen", "tiny kitchen", etc.i thnks many of the threads on "white vs. wood" cabinets touch on size as well.

i am pretty sure that the finished kitchen blog (finishedkitchens.com) lets you sort for small kitchens. (clicked the categories link on top right.)

Yes, the FKB does have a small kitchens category...Kitchen Basics

There's also a category for mixed cabinets under Cabinets (Multiple colors/shades of cabinets section)

As to layout...I suggest you post it here for review. Sometimes (OK, often!) we see things that KDs, especially cabinet salespeople/KDs miss.

HTH!

Here is a link that might be useful: Finished Kitchens Blog Categories

An excellent book on the topic...

Here is a link that might be useful: Small Kitchens by Robin Murrell

Small is relative. :) In my case, 14 x 16 is small because there is no dining room and a fairly good portion of it has to be reserved for a kitchen table and eating/walking space. Others have kitchens 10 x 10 or less. You don't say how small yours is. Since I could only use about half mine for the working kitchen part, I consider it small. Some with condo size kitchens don't consider it small. Anyway, I got help and ideas by asking for photos of small kitchens here. I got LOTS of replies. I included the link, below, and hope it helps you. One thing that surprised me is that one of my favorites is one of the smallest with both dark cabinets and dark counters.

Here is a link that might be useful: Photos of small kitchens

Mine is a space which is approx 10x9, but the USEABLE portion of it (due to the back door and wall/window placement) is about 9x6'3'.

I think it's coming out pretty well so far! In fact, I was remarking to my husband just today that it is going to be SO efficient (we have everything installed except fridge and stove).

Here are some of the threads discussing my situation - they may not be directly relevant, but perhaps they may spark some ideas for you?

Ultimately, the way I made my space work was by having a (cheapie, shovelware) design program that let me play 'what if'. The 3d rendering was pretty accurate, and allowed me to visualise more clearly what it would 'feel' like, and the 2d enabled my GC to understand what I meant. I started fooling around with possibilities 2.5 years ago and utlimately that led to the layout we're getting. HIGHLY recommend that. I'm sure a KD would have come up with a few tricks I didn't think of in my ignorance and/or because I'm 'too close to the situation', but I LOVE having invested myself in the design, feeling like I TRULY know what we're getting, and making the space work for ME (instead of somebody's idea of what 'ought' to work for me).

I think my original thread has dropped off the last page because it didn't come up when i searched, but here are a few others (good grief but I write too much!), including the one with the main design details in it:

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg101331273934.html
http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg1110224430709.html
http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg1110430711800.html

Here is a link that might be useful: Tiny kitchen thread

We have a small kitchen too and completely changed the layout using all of the space vs. half. We choose darker cabinets against all advice and love them. Why don't you post what types of things you are considering and maybe some of us used them and so you can see what they look like. Also, have a few people give you layouts or try playing with it yourself - we went to a few places then tweeked it before ordering from a completely place (long story but got blew off given it was a smaller order). I sat down with the kraftmaid book till I got what would fit/I liked. Worked well for us.

And I should also have said, as pcjs advises, post a drawing HERE! The advice and ideas I got from forum members were AMAZING - so many helpful folks brainstorming along with me and, truly, each day when I walk into my part-finished kitchen I see that the design we've got not only owes A LOT to those ideas, but really is probably the best that anybody could have come up with given the limitations of space and money with which we have been faced. :)