Article by Jennifer Miller

Photos by Nathan Satran 

When the homeowners behind CB Built's 2025 Parade Home first approached Conner Bokma, they did not arrive with a finished floor plan, a carefully curated inspiration board, or even a long list of must-haves. 

They knew they wanted to build a unique home. They knew they loved The Nines subdivision. And they had a general idea of the size and budget they hoped to stay within. Beyond that, the possibilities were wide open. 

For Bokma, co-founder of CB Built, that was not a problem. If anything, it was exactly where he prefers to begin. "We work a lot of times with folks that have no idea what they want to do other than the idea that they want to do something," he says. "We really pride ourselves on the design-build feature of it, where we're going to help guide the customer to what they do want." 

Starting With a Feeling 

In this case, inspiration came from a practical place: Bokma's own home. The homeowners met with Conner and his wife, Ashley, at their house in The Nines and immediately connected with much of what they saw, from the overall layout to the finishes and feeling of the space. 

“They loved what we had built in our house,” Bokma says. “But then they wanted more.” That “more” quickly became less about simply adding square footage and more about designing around the way the family lives. 

As a sports-oriented family, they wanted a dedicated place to gather with friends, watch games, and display memorabilia. A golf simulator was high on the wish list, along with workout space, guest bedrooms, and another place to entertain outside of the main living room. 

Rather than fitting everything into one oversized home, the plans eventually evolved into two distinct structures. The main residence came in at roughly 2,900 square feet, while a separate guesthouse, at approximately 1,500 square feet, added two bedrooms, a full bathroom, a kitchenette, an entertainment area, a golf simulator, an exercise room, and an additional garage stall. 

For the homeowners, the detached space offers a place for friends and guests to gather without disrupting the rest of the house. It also gives the property flexibility for the future, including the possibility of multigenerational living. 

Custom Means Personal 

That adaptability reflects a larger philosophy Bokma brings to custom homebuilding. Rather than developing a recognizable CB Built aesthetic and steering every homeowner toward it, Bokma says the goal is almost the opposite. 

“We try to be basically a blank slate,” he says. “We want to revolve around you as the customer, your personality, your desires, your wants, your vision and everything that you’ve ever dreamt of.” 

It is an approach that has resulted in homes ranging from warm, Scandinavian-inspired designs to highly contemporary spaces. For Bokma, custom building is less about recreating a successful look and more about understanding why certain elements work, then adapting them to the people who will actually live there. 

A Warmer Take on Modern 

While every client brings a different perspective, Bokma has noticed a shift in what many homeowners are gravitating toward. After several years dominated by black-and-white palettes and stark contemporary finishes, homes are beginning to warm up again. Woods, brushed nickel, bronze tones, darker finishes, and more traditional rooflines are making their way back into the conversation. 

Modern elements have not disappeared. Instead, Bokma sees them being paired with materials and architecture that feel more timeless. "We're still in Billings. We're still in Montana," he says. "People want more of that traditional, warm setting." 

That balance is evident in this 2025 Parade Home, where dramatic ceiling heights, abundant natural light, and modern details come together without sacrificing a sense of comfort. 

For homeowners hoping to create something that feels just as good a decade from now, Bokma says timelessness starts with more than finishes. "The floor plan, first and foremost, needs to adapt today and in 10 years for that individual," he says. 

With endless inspiration available online, it can be easy to design around what is popular rather than what genuinely suits a family. "It's really kind of avoiding the trends of what other people think and figuring out what fits you and your family really well," Bokma says.

Built for Montana 

What looks beautiful on a screen also has to work in the place it is being built. Before returning to Billings, Bokma spent time building in Boise, Idaho, where he was exposed to more California-influenced architecture and contemporary building ideas. Some translated easily to Montana. Others required adjustment. Large pivot front doors are one example. "They're awesome. They're great in theory," Bokma says. "But in Montana, those doors just don't seal really well." 

Instead, the goal becomes finding a way to achieve the same dramatic appearance with a product better suited to Montana's extreme temperature swings. That practical approach extends to exterior materials, outdoor living spaces, and countless other decisions throughout a build. A feature may look striking, but it also needs to make sense for the climate, the budget, and the people using it. 

The Home Comes First 

Even being selected as a Parade Home does not change that priority. While the Parade creates opportunities to showcase new products and ideas, Bokma says CB Built tries not to let the event dictate decisions for a custom client. "We can't make any decisions for or against anything that we're doing due to us trying to do a Parade," he says. 

That includes the schedule. A homeowner should not have to sacrifice a feature they will enjoy for decades simply because another option would make it easier to meet an event deadline. After all, the Parade lasts only a few days. The home may belong to a family for decades. 

The best custom home is not necessarily the one that follows every trend or makes the biggest statement. It is the one that still feels like home long after the trends have changed. 

Originally printed in the October 2026  issue of Simply Local Magazine

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