HIGH ROLLERS Inviting remodeled suites have all a guest needs, from the entertainment center to the wet bar and dining area.

The vibrancy of urban New Orleans' parks, architecture and culture inspired Westar Architects in the renovation of 61 suites and 30 additional connector rooms at Harrah's Entertainment's Showboat Atlantic City in New Jersey.

"It's a very vibrant city with many cultural and historical influences," says Paul Heretakis, lead designer on the project, about New Orleans.

COZY QUARTERS The living area features a wet bar with wine chiller, 40-inch LCD TV, fold-out couch, bamboo flooring and pocket doors to separate the bedroom.

The design team worked to identify the core of the city—the essence of the colors, textures and energy.

"The feel of the city was to influence the suites with sophistication and a fun and easy casualness," Heretakis says.

Glass shower walls give the bath an open feel. Bathrooms feature whirlpool tubs with a view of the wall-mounted TV, private lavatory area and custom granite vanities.

Colors of the night scenes of Mardi Gras were woven into FF&E schemes to give the suites a pulsating, alive vibe. The design team created three color schemes of purple, green and burgundy, and each used four colors and two tones of color variations.

"Each color scheme contained two strong colors and one subtle background base color," Heretakis says. "The schemes were very vibrant in order to capture the feel of New Orleans and hit the core of the brand."

Showboat's branding is about fun, so the design of the suites needed to reflect a carefree, exciting elegance.

The challenge of the project was to organize and document the remodel of 91 rooms that had different floor plans, Heretakis says.

"There were hundreds of drawings and over 100 FF&E books," he says of the project that took less than a year.

Each piece of furniture was individually designed with great attention to detail.

EXCITING ELEGANCE Custom furniture features shell and metal accents. A palette of purple and gold, one of three color schemes for the project, was influenced by New Orleans' Mardi Gras.

"The furniture was made of the finest veneers with shell and metal accents," Heretakis says. "They were made in China and are of tremendous quality."

Mother of pearl, pen shell and stainless steel highlight zebrawood and mahogany.

The fabrics were chosen for a balance of color and tactile experiences, he says.

Heretakis' favorite aspect of the finished project is that it exceeded the expectations of the hotel's core 45- to 65-year-old customer, and also attracted a new younger customer. —Heather Gunter