special to the arizona daily star

Think you've done all you can with your outdoor living space? Got the wet bar, the grill, the misters, the fire pit, the sectional?

When it comes to outdoor living, there's much more to come. Or so says the Southern Arizona Home Builders Association (SAHBA), the organization behind next week's Parade of Homes.

The 16-day event showcases million-dollar-plus custom homes from seven of SAHBA's member builders. And while the interiors are daring, elegant and state-of-the-art, the exteriors are just as interesting.

Two of the homes feature sky decks, one on the roof of the guest casita. There are putting greens (one on a patio rooftop), a multitude of outside fireplaces — sometimes several to each property — and not just one but two or three different patio areas.

Outside kitchens incorporate the sort of features and appliances we'd once have been proud to show off on our home's interior: Viking stoves, concrete countertops, banco seating.

Lori Carroll, the interior designer behind one of the homes, says the trend is away from formal living rooms inside the home toward informal space outside. "Personally, I'd sooner be outside with my family than have to pay to furnish a great room that doesn't get used."

If backyards are becoming the new living rooms, then master bathrooms are turning into personal spas. And we're not just talking a bit of extra space and some pampering beauty products.

Large, walk-in showers with several shower heads and three or four massage heads are the norm in these show houses. One, by Casas Bonitas Development, even has a built-in ProSun tanning system that lets you catch some rays while you shower.

Coffee bars and refrigerators have moved, resort-style, into the bathroom. And in the home by Bauer Homes, the master bath features not only a mirror-style double vanity — one sink on either side of an island — but a dressing table with its own make-up sink.

As well as showcasing their wares, of course, the SAHBA member builders hope to tempt prospective buyers — even in a flat market. They argue that custom-home sales are still buoyant and that Tucson is still a relatively healthy market. "It's a flatter curve here," says Charles Lathrem, owner of Lathrem Homebuilders.

And if you don't want to buy, you can always dream a little — and at least pinch some remodeling ideas. Says Elaine Nathanson, public relations director for the event: "Not everyone will be able to afford one of those homes, but you can afford pieces of it."

Gillian Drummond is a local freelance writer.