Ideas & Inspo: NWA Parade of Homes

by Bethany Stephens

Each fall, the Northwest Arkansas Home Builders Association hosts the NWA Parade of Homes, and it is well worth marking your calendar.

Whether you're looking to buy or build a house, perfectly happy in your current home or just love seeing the newest tech, design trends and interior decorating ideas, it's great use of a few weekend hours.

The 2024 show featured 16 homes across Benton and Washington counties ranging from smaller, affordable footprints for first time homebuyers to large scale, high end dream homes.

*A moody bedroom on the Parade of Homes*

Here's a roundup of all the common trends and themes as well as the best ideas:

Consistent Themes:

Accent Walls: whether custom wood paneled or bold wallpaper, walls with a pop of personality were seen across the featured homes.
Pet Indulgences: from exterior pet doors into tucked away crates to dog wash stations and pup pampering areas, pet-centric was a definite theme.
Decadent Tile: we saw watercolor-esque shower tiles, geometric floor patterns, unique textured backsplashes and metallic pops on fireplaces.
High End Ranges: gone are the builder-grade appliances: parade homes featured sprawling ranges, retro vibes, chef-style cooktops, pot fillers and gold accents.
Beverage Stations: matching interior design trends across the nation, bars and beverage stations were prominent in media rooms, kitchens and hallway nooks.

Swoon-Worthy Ideas:

A round bathtub created a serene, Japanese-inspired soaking corner.
Glass enclosed a huge, triple-head walk-in shower with soaking tub for a home spa vibe.
Upgraded outdoor kitchens featured a Solo Stove pie oven and high end cooking set up.
A bathroom vanity featured hidden pull-out hot tool storage for hair dryers & curling wands.
On a snug downtown lot, a deep courtyard pool and waterfall created a compact backyard oasis.
A narrow, shaded side yard was converted into a clever backyard putting green.
Walking around the corner in an upstairs closet revealed a secret play area under the eaves.
On a steep lot, the builder went up and cleverly stacked stairs to a hammock play loft over the kitchen.
In Bentonville, many homes sported bike decor vibes nodding to the mountain bike capital of the world.
We saw high-hung curtains on repeat in both showers and windows... creating drama, interest and height.
Moody paint and colors were prevalent, creating dark, calm and restful spaces.
An under-stair wine room put collectible bottles on display with a twist.