Bathroom Remodeling Design in St. Cloud, MN

Design and Construction Under One Roof

A bathroom remodel in St. Cloud or Central Minnesota involves hundreds of small decisions — tile size, grout color, vanity height, shower door style, lighting placement, fixture finish. When a designer and a contractor work separately, those decisions get made in isolation. Mistakes happen. Changes cost money.

Valerie and Rick work as one team from the first conversation. The tile Valerie specifies is the tile that gets installed — by Rick's crew or a vetted tile specialist, depending on the project. The lighting she designs is wired exactly where she planned it. There's no translation layer, no miscommunication, and no one pointing fingers when something doesn't match the plan.

Planning Your Bathroom Remodel

The planning phase is where a bathroom remodel succeeds or fails. Most budget overruns and mid-project changes trace back to decisions that weren't made at the start — or were made by people who didn't know what the contractor actually needed.

Valerie begins every bathroom project with a detailed conversation about how the space is used. Who uses it, how many people share it, what frustrates you about the current layout, and what you've seen in other bathrooms you love. These answers shape the design before a single product is specified.

From there, she develops a complete design package — tile layout, vanity selection, fixture finishes, lighting plan, and material palette — that Rick can build from with no ambiguity. This eliminates the most expensive problem in any bathroom remodel: realizing mid-project that the design doesn't work.

Tile Design & Selection

Tile is the defining visual element of any bathroom remodel. It's also the most complex design decision — because tile involves not just material and color, but size, format, pattern, grout color, accent placement, and how everything transitions between the floor, shower walls, and niches.

Valerie has designed tile schemes for bathrooms ranging from small guest baths in older Saint Joseph homes to large primary suites in new Sartell construction. Her approach considers durability alongside aesthetics — not every tile that looks beautiful in a showroom performs well in a wet, high-traffic bathroom.

Common tile approaches we design and install:

• Large-format floor tile — 12×24 or 24×24 tiles reduce grout lines and make smaller bathrooms read larger.
• Subway tile — Classic, versatile, and highly durable. Works in traditional and contemporary bathrooms alike.
• Zellige & handmade tile — Adds texture and character. One of the most popular choices for homeowners who want something distinctive.
• Herringbone & chevron patterns — Works best as a floor or shower accent tile. Adds visual interest without overwhelming a small space.
• Full-slab shower surrounds — Porcelain or quartz slabs eliminate grout lines entirely. A maintenance-friendly option for primary showers.
• Heated floor tile — Radiant heat underlayment beneath tile. A popular upgrade in Central Minnesota's cold winters.

Primary Suite vs. Guest Bath Remodels

Not all bathroom remodels are the same project. A guest bath remodel and a primary suite renovation have different design priorities, different scopes, and very different budgets. We handle both.

Guest bathroom remodels in St. Cloud and Central Minnesota typically focus on efficiency: a new vanity, updated tile, modern fixtures, and improved lighting. The goal is a clean, functional space that looks significantly better without a complete gut. Most guest bath remodels fall in the $10,000–$20,000 range.

Primary suite renovations are the most personal space in the home and often the most rewarding remodel investment. Valerie designs primary baths with a focus on the experience: walk-in showers with bench seating and multiple spray heads, freestanding soaking tubs, double vanities with integrated storage, and lighting designed for both function and ambiance. Primary suite remodels in Central Minnesota typically range from $25,000–$60,000+ depending on scope and material selection.

Layout Reconfiguration

Some of the best bathroom remodels aren't just cosmetic — they're structural. Moving a wall to expand a shower, relocating plumbing to create a double vanity, or converting a tub-shower combo into a dedicated walk-in shower can transform how a bathroom functions.

Because Rick is a licensed Minnesota General Contractor, we can take on layout changes that other design-only firms can't. If expanding your bathroom makes sense, we'll design it, permit it, and build it — all under one contract. We serve homeowners throughout Sartell, St. Cloud, Sauk Rapids, and surrounding communities who want more than a surface-level refresh.

Common layout changes we handle:

• Converting tub/shower combos to walk-in showers
• Adding a second sink and vanity to a single-sink bath
• Expanding into adjacent closet or bedroom space
• Separating toilet from main vanity area (water closet)
• Moving plumbing for improved fixture placement
• Adding or enlarging windows for natural light

Vanity, Fixture & Lighting Design

Bathroom finishes are where personality shows up. Valerie helps homeowners in St. Cloud and Central Minnesota navigate the overwhelming selection of vanities, fixtures, and lighting to find combinations that work together — in terms of both aesthetics and budget.

Vanity selection considerations: Cabinet style and finish, countertop material (quartz, marble, concrete), undermount vs. vessel sink, storage configuration, and whether wall-mounted or floor-standing suits the space.

Fixture finishes: Matte black, brushed nickel, unlacquered brass, and chrome all have their place — but mixing too many finishes creates visual clutter. Valerie specifies a cohesive finish palette that carries through faucets, towel bars, shower hardware, and lighting.

Bathroom lighting: A single overhead fixture is almost never enough. We design bathrooms with vanity lighting at face height (eliminating shadows), ambient overhead illumination, and accent lighting inside niches or under-vanity for ambiance. Rick's team runs all electrical before tile is set — no retrofitting light locations after waterproofing is in.

What We Handle

• Tile selection, layout design, and installation (floor, shower, walls, niches)
• Vanity and cabinet selection and installation
• Countertop and sink selection
• Plumbing fixture specification and installation coordination
• Shower and tub surround design (tile and slab options)
• Lighting plan and fixture selection
• Mirror and accessory selection
• Heated floor radiant systems
• Layout reconfiguration and wall changes
• Drywall, waterproofing, and moisture barriers
• Permit management (MN GC License BC807593)

Bathroom Remodel Cost in Central Minnesota

Bathroom remodel pricing in the St. Cloud area varies significantly based on size, scope, and material choices. Here's a general overview:

• Cosmetic refresh — $8,000–$15,000. New vanity, fixtures, lighting, mirror, and paint. Tile stays.
• Mid-range guest bath remodel — $15,000–$25,000. New tile, vanity, shower/tub, fixtures, and lighting.
• Full primary suite renovation — $30,000–$60,000+. Walk-in shower, soaking tub, double vanity, custom tile, heated floors, and layout changes.

We provide a detailed, itemized estimate before any work begins. Scope and material choices drive the final number — there's no one-size-fits-all bathroom remodel price.

Serving St. Cloud, Sartell & All of Central Minnesota

Simply Enhanced Homes is based in Saint Joseph, MN and serves bathroom remodeling clients throughout the St. Cloud metro area including Sartell, Sauk Rapids, Waite Park, St. Joseph, Cold Spring, and surrounding Central Minnesota communities.

Ready to see what's possible? Browse our project gallery — including bathroom remodels we've designed and built right here in Central Minnesota. Our open-concept kitchen & bath remodel in St. Cloud took the main bath from a single- to a double-sink vanity and gutted the lower-level bath to the studs for a new fixture layout.

Bathroom remodels we've designed and built

Primary bathroom — custom tiled walk-in showerMain bathroom — changed from a single-sink to a double-sink vanityMain bathroom — gutted to the studs and rebuiltBasement bathroomBathroom with gray beadboard wainscoting above a wood vanity cabinetMain bathroom — floating vanity

See more bathroom photos

Frequently Asked Questions