First question I would ask is how will you use the garden area? Once you can answer this you will be able to narrow down choices. You can also (be nosy) peep at neighbours gardens for ideas even if they are the I-definitely-don't-want-that type, or go visit large gardens and look at what they have done as you can use the same ideas on a smaller scale. Once you have a concept idea Pinterest can be good for how other people have used the concept and you can take little bits from their gardens to build your own.
Small children might need a play area and in a small space a paved area that can be chalk drawn on, hold a sand/water table can be good. This could also be used as a seating area with a bench or a small table/chairs set.
10 by 8 is big enough for a small lawn if you want traditional with beds around the edges (make them curved with different shrubs and could become a cottage style garden)
I love a herb garden and have deliberately planted one around my whirligig washing line as during summer the clothes pick up the scents and smell much nicer
If you cook and don't mind the work you could have a herb garden and a couple of raised beds for growing fruit and veg, read up on companion planting and mix in the right flowers for colour and pest control, depending on layout what about adding fruit trees at the end of the garden or espalier along a fence.
If you are a complete novice go to a couple of independent garden centres, describe the size/shade/drainage, and they will give some good advice. Think about how it will look in winter as well as summer you can add bulbs for Spring colour, structural plants and grasses or evergreens for winter.
You may want to add some form of ornament, pretty stone rather than garden gnome 
, or even build in a water feature, water bubbling over pebbles idea that is easy to look after, and will let birds have a drink.
To give you one low maintenance but pretty all year round idea ...
I have a small side garden which has house walls on 2 sides, measures about 3 by 5 metres, with a path to the door running through it. Between the path and wall I have slate chips with barrel planters with bamboo and grasses. Along the other wall is a raised chipped area big enough for a small bench and a couple of small planters with smaller shrubs, in front of this is another slate path. Then taking up most of the space is a slightly raised bed which I have planted with alpines and is in the process of becoming a fairy garden, this cost me under £300 as I was willing to do all the manual labour myself and bought small plants to keep costs down.