Hidden Gems: Meet Liz Hoekzema of KLH Custom Homes + TEN Design Studio

Today we’d like to introduce you to Liz Hoekzema

Liz, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Our path to the field of design and construction was not a linear one.

I met Kevin at Calvin College (now Calvin University) in Grand Rapids, MI while he was pursuing a Business degree with an emphasis in Finance, and I was en route to a BA in English and Communications. Neither of us knew exactly what we wanted to do – in fact, I was envious of those who seemed so sure of their path already! All I knew to do, thanks to my parents, was work hard at everything I did and make the most of life and opportunities as they came my way.

Kevin was framing houses for high-end builders both in Grand Rapids and along the lakeshore on his breaks from school, and eventually upon graduation we got married and elected to build a home for ourselves. (We actually tried three times to purchase darling – albeit tiny – ‘starter’ homes and each time the deal fell through….we were destined, it seemed, to build.)

Suddenly things started to crystalize. While I had struggled with indecision previously, when it came to designing our home I knew exactly what aesthetic I wanted to achieve. I loved it all. Kev was able to use his skills in framing and trim carpentry and we were immensely proud of what we’d created.

Not long after, Kev made the jump to medical sales and this brought us to Kalamazoo – where the same thing happened. We thought for sure we’d buy a home, following the 2008 housing crisis when prices had plummeted, but nothing felt right. It wasn’t long before we were securing another lot and starting the process of building again.

By this time I was really craving a creative outlet. I had held office jobs in human resources and as a legal assistant, among other things, and felt like I was wasting away on the inside. I began blogging about the process of building that second home – photographing spaces and details with a DSLR camera I barely knew how to use, playing with words and writing about it all – and the rest was history…… we received a request out of the blue for what would be our first client, to build a custom home. It was that first client that pushed us to give our business a name, make a website, get business cards, all the things! It was a quick learning curve in communication, how to present ideas, and much more; but, with Kev’s background in business and my drive to design and create, it was a successful endeavor and what would be the first of many, many more client projects.

Fast forwarding to today, we have both our KLH Custom Homes team – building custom homes designed by our in-house team of designers, and TEN design studio – an architectural plans and interiors firm that services both clients locally and nationwide (and Canada!). Between both studios we typically hover around fifteen employees and have many subcontractors we’ve been working with for years.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There have been plenty of hurdles along the way. You realize quickly that not every project is a good fit, and vice versa – despite how bright and shiny the possibilities might seem! The first five years we learned a lot about how to develop boundaries, both literally and figuratively, and determined that we would best serve custom home clients that were located within an hour of Grand Rapids-Kalamazoo so that we could utilize trades people that we knew well and for whom we could vouch.
And while we were immensely proud of the work we were doing, we also saw that some of our less conventional processes weren’t going to be a fit for every single client that approached us.

Personally, we were also growing a family – from one child at the beginning, to four (now ranging in age from 6-14). Those early years we poured so many hours into designing and bookwork and meeting with clients, that it meant scenarios like working until midnight the night before our daughter was born……and all through the next day in the hospital room, while actively being induced. Not ideal! But we were driven and passionate about what we were building.

In more recent years, Covid changed things in so many ways: a complete shutdown of building in Michigan for two months, skyrocketing prices, timeline delays, an abundance of demand and then widespread burnout from the stresses of it all…… thankfully in 2024 things are feeling ‘normal’ again, for the most part.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
KLH is a custom home build-design firm out of West Michigan, building high-end homes known for their custom details. We have become recognized for an aesthetic that favors light-filled spaces, sculptural details, natural materials and giving each project a unique perspective that reflects the client and location accordingly. We take pride in doing things differently, and the discovery of new ideas and makers that we can showcase in our work.

TEN design studio is an architectural plans and interiors firm with clients across the US and Canada.

This extension of our KLH brand grew very organically, as requests began to flow in from potential clients that were perhaps not looking to build a ground-up home, but loved the aesthetic they were seeing us share on Instagram, at the Parade of Homes and as word spread. We work closely with Gerrit, our architectural designer, to draw most of the plans we build for clients at KLH, and we also have overlap with senior designer Jaci and the team at TEN design, when clients engage a full furnishing and decor scope for their project.

It’s been a lovely way to meet and work with so many more clients and really great projects than we ever could locally through, and also to be able to enjoy the depth of talents of a larger team that is gifted both technically and creatively.

Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
Growing up along the shores of Lake Huron, and now living so close to Lake Michigan, proximity to water is superbly important to me. There is nothing quite like the feeling of plunging head-under into crisp water, feeling the fresh air on your face and honesty sometimes just being cut off from cell service for a short while, depending on which stretch of coastline you’re on. Going for a simple bike ride, walking the golf course for a couple of hours with our kids, or more recently, even strapping a wakeboard back on after years all feel so freeing and connected to nature.

The spark of a fresh idea also brings us great joy! Sometimes it’s playing with a material and suddenly seeing it in a different light or in a new combination of elements, and sometimes it’s more of a structural concept. We are always striving to push ourselves, elevate our work and set ourselves apart. Hopefully this shows through in the images we share!

Contact Info:

• Website: klh-homes.com and 10designstudio.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/klhcustomhomes/ and https://www.instagram.com/10.designstudio/