Mary Coley Stevens Creates a Five‑Star Primary Suite

The interior designer transforms a Tuscaloosa primary bedroom and bath into a five‑star, hotel‑inspired retreat featuring Calacatta Viola marble, custom furnishings, and layered, mood‑setting lighting.

By
Cathy Still McGowin
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In the bedroom, a custom paneled Mark Jordan bed upholstered in two shades of teal-colored velvet and custom iron-and-marble side tables (also in Calacatta Viola) strike a grand silhouette against a neutral background. A high gloss black vellum credenza, trimmed in textured brass to show its curves, grounds the opposite wall. Windows are dressed in Kravet framing the wooded view beyond. // Photos by Jean Allsopp, Styling by Morgan Stephenson

My clients wanted a hotel-like atmosphere and serene ambiance in their primary suite. The result is an elevated, functional, and highly indulgent space with all the amenities.”

—designer Mary Coley Stevens

A Hotel‑Inspired Retreat at Home

A luxury hotel suite is the stuff of pure indulgence. It’s the kind of place that is instantly transportive, a place where you can close the door and escape the everyday. It’s vacation at its finest, and a feeling that Mary Coley Stevens wanted to recreate for clients in their Tuscaloosa home. “They had a clear vision of what they wanted, and this bed and bath feels like it’s own little world,” Mary Coley says.

A Refined, Modern Color Palette

To achieve that away-from-it-all feeling and harmonize the spaces, Mary Coley worked with her clients to choose modern- leaning pieces in a refined color palette.

The threshold for the adjacent bath is distinctive with its marble cased opening. It is framed in the same marble as the bathtub to connect the transition between spaces. An ocular window draws the eye across the room.

It all started with the moody veining in a slab of Calacatta Viola marble. “The deep plum tones and creamy background provides great interest while holding a natural, timeless look,” Mary Coley says. To complement those hues, she incorporated black, gold, teal blues, and copper-colored accents for mature color pairings. Fixtures and finishes display gold and brass accents adding to the warmth.

An ulacquered brass fixture gleams against the Calacatta Viola marble framing the Kallista tub. “My clients wanted a large tub with a jet system, so we used the marble to hide the plumbing,” Mary Coley says.
This high-contrast stone provides a vivid, painterly backdrop that transforms the bathroom into a private gallery.

Why This Suite Feels Truly Five‑Star

A truly private sanctuary with considerate design choices and ample amenites, this suite more than meets the standard for style, comfort, and luxury.

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A high‑gloss obsidian‑black table with subtle gold flecks and bold brass legs is topped with a whimsical bronze lizard sculpture, while a custom mosaic of Calacatta Viola and Nero Marquina marble adds striking contrast underfoot.
Architectural headboard panels anchor the bedroom vignette, while a minimalist black steel nightstand frames two tiers of Calacatta Viola marble for a crisp, modern contrast.

Mary Coley Stevens | Studio MC

Studio MC knows that the most memorable interiors reflect the people who live in them. Here’s how the studio blends timeless elegance with playful personality to elevate everyday living across the homes it designs.

  • Layered lighting. Consider lighting from all angles, pairing overhead fixtures with ambient lighting to create a mood. Dimmable sconces that work for both bedside accent and task lighting are especially useful.
  • One hero material. Choose a single standout material to repeat throughout the space. Use it in key locations—such as bath surfaces, thresholds, and bedside tables—so it quietly links the rooms, and echo its finish in smaller accessories like trays or picture frames.
  • Custom window treatments. Opt for tailored window treatments that support both function and mood. Motorized blackout drapes deliver true hotel‑level darkness and ease, while a decorative shade over a tub or window adds softness and polish.
  • Thoughtfully chosen linens. Invest in sheets and towels you truly enjoy using every day. Decide between crisp percale or softer sateen, lighter or heavier layers for the bed, and bath linens with the right weight, size, and special details such as colored piping or monogramming.
@marycoley

Resources

Renovation builder: William Blakeney Building Co., Tuscaloosa, AL Tile/Slabs: Triton Stone; Fixtures: Waterworks; Bathtub: Kallista tub, Ceiling fixture and sconces: Visual Comfort, Art disc: Sarah Helser through Hidell Brooks Gallery Rug: Hiltz Lauber; Linens: Christopher Collection; Motorized drapery: Southern Drapery

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