LRO Residential’s Les Owens Shares Past Parade of Playhouses Favorites, Plus a Sneak Peek of This Year’s Entry

LRO Residential is in its 14th year of participating in the Parade of Playhouses supporting Dallas CASA. Les Owens, principal of LRO Residential, said he started as a fan of the annual fundraiser and then realized because of what he does for a living, he’s perfectly positioned to be a long-time — and quite possibly the longest-time — partner.

We’ve written about Les Owens of LRO Residential a ton so you’d think there wouldn’t be anything new to say, but there is.

LRO Residential’s Pint-Sized Designs

LRO Residential’s designs have graced the digital pages of CandysDirt.com for years, but there’s one LRO Residential design that tends to be a fan favorite — their playhouses. They’re literally pint-sized versions of his full-size stunners. And this year’s version is like every one of their designs — thoughtful, adorable, and impeccable. Owens applies the same standards of his residential designs for the playhouses. The same subs, too. Needless to say, LRO Residential designs are always among the favorites because they’re so well done.

Owens is quick to share the spotlight and said every year his crew knows exactly when it’s playhouse time. In fact, he said if he doesn’t mention it, they always do. They’re as excited to create the next playhouse as the kid who gets to take it home. They all volunteer their time and energy and Owens said they all want to be a part of it.

He also said he has some pretty spectacular partners, too. Like Anderson Windows and Beach Sheet Metal. He said in January if he hasn’t reached out to Anderson, the regional manager always calls him. He also said over the years Beach has done some pretty impressive work, like the year they wrapped the silo of a playhouse in copper. JAWDROP.

This year’s house is inspired by one Owens saw at an industry event in Atlanta. It’s his take on a cottage.

The beauty of Parade of Playhouse is the variety of tiny houses — some are character themed, some are replicas of buildings we see every day (fire stations and car washes) and some, like LRO Residential’s, are inspired by current trends. Pretty much every year, LRO Residential focuses on the designs that are big in the residential home world and then they add their spin. Owens said every year the Parade of Playhouses is around the Fourth of July, so Americana is another theme they’ve explored over the years.

One thing Owens loves about the event is the excitement it creates in his team. They’re into it. Once the Parade starts, Owens always buys raffle tickets for everyone that worked on the project so they can see the final product on display. It’s a tradition that keeps going, too. Because those contractors turn around and buy tickets for their friends and family. It all spreads the word for these amazing playhouses and most importantly, the most amazing cause — Dallas CASA.

The annual Parade of Playhouses is a 17-day event that will be on display at NorthPark Center from July 14-30. Raffle tickets are $5 each and will be available to purchase online and in person starting July 14. Want to ooh and aah a little more? Check out all of last year’s playhouses here.