Always fix the layout first, then worry about finishes. Layout decisions are the bones of the space – where walls sit, how big each room is, where doors and windows go, the flow between kitchen, dining and living. Finishes like tiles, paint colours and handles are the skin and clothing; they can’t compensate for a badly planned skeleton.
If you start with finishes, you risk falling in love with a particular tile or countertop and forcing the whole layout to bend around it, even when it doesn’t truly suit your lifestyle. Instead, think practically: how do you move through the space? Where do you cook, eat, work, relax? What storage do you need? Once that is right on paper, then you can have fun choosing materials that fit the plan and budget.
Also, layout changes – especially moving walls or plumbing – are expensive to fix later. Swapping a paint colour or even a tap is comparatively easy. So invest your time and energy in getting the layout working well for your real life, and only after that dress it up with finishes that you like.