Crafting Elegance
The Flexible Growth of LV Wood
by Peter Briccetti
In the world of artisanal wood products, LV Wood stands apart, combining a rich familial legacy with a commitment to craftsmanship. Simply by walking into LV Wood’s newly opened Bozeman location, one can quickly come to an intuitive understanding of what the company is all about. The aesthetic of the downtown showroom nestled on the corner of Tracy Avenue and Mendenhall Street tells a story of understated elegance, visual flourish, and an unwavering dedication to the art of working with wood.
“Wood is a living, breathing element of any home.”
–James Caroll, Principal & Co-founder, LV Wood
LV Wood’s values go far beyond providing residents of the Mountain West with the highest quality bespoke Italian-style flooring materials. James Caroll, LV Wood Principal and Co-founder, understands that both a great floor and a great business begin with mutual understanding as well as a trusting relationship between business and client.
“Wood is a living, breathing element of any home,” James tells me as we sit in his office, surrounded by the soothing shades of the showroom’s panels. “It will respond and react to the environment in the home and its use throughout its life. If cared for properly, it will last lifetimes, growing both in beauty and in character.” Just like the beautiful materials that they provide, LV Wood has done the same, growing and evolving into new markets, while keeping the core values that make it such a special family business.
LV Wood’s story begins more than a decade before its official incorporation, with James’ father Jim Caroll, master antique refinisher and millworker of Buffalo, New York, whose deep reverence for wood eventually shaped the trajectory of the future company.
In 1985, Jim Caroll, alongside his wife and business partner Carolyn “CC” Caroll, opened a storefront as Buffalo Hardwood in the heart of their small city. Their dedication and impeccable craftsmanship quickly propelled the company to prominence in the wood flooring industry nationwide, as the couple won multiple National Wood Flooring Association awards, earning the loyalty of prestigious clients along the way.
Looking for a break from the notoriously cold and snowy winters that the area is famous for, the couple began vacationing in Tuscany, a beautiful region of Italy famous for its quintessential Italian cuisine, art, history, and temperate climate. Jim and CC quickly fell in love with the area and decided to buy property there. Eventually, Jim sold Buffalo Hardwood and the couple began splitting their time between Buffalo and their new home and olive grove in a verdant green valley outside of the ancient city walls of Cortona.
In 1985, Jim Caroll, alongside his wife and business partner Carolyn “CC” Caroll, opened a storefront as Buffalo Hardwood in the heart of their small city.
While in Italy, Jim and CC often visited Italy’s famed design and materials shows such as Salone and Cersaie. Jim found himself meeting with Italian wood flooring manufacturers who knew of him and his work in the industry. It wasn’t long before friendships turned into partnerships, and Jim was soon asked to represent these firms in the U.S., thereby birthing a new venture in the process: Legno Veneto.
Jim asked his son James if he had any interest in traveling to Italy to be a liaison between the two parties. At the time, James was involved in his own entrepreneurial pursuits—including working as a concert promoter and fly fishing guide—but this opportunity seemed too good to pass up. Having never visited Europe, James decided to go for it. About two weeks later, James moved to Italy and remained there on and off for the next 18 months, learning the language and the particulars of importing material from Italy to the U.S.
It wasn’t long before their business found extreme success in New York City, becoming a household name with some of the biggest architects and designers in the nation.
Named after the Veneto region in Italy where the wood is sourced, Legno Veneto was born out of a shared passion for discovering the finest architectural wood products in Italy and bringing them to the U.S. market. The company rapidly expanded its reach, adding multiple Italian firms to its list of partners.
While Legno Veneto had pioneered a particular style of Italian wood flooring and launched it nationally, all trends and styles must inevitably shift. This one was no different, and James quickly saw that updated materials with a focus on American-made materials had to become a part of their offering, and in 2005, the firm, newly renamed LV Wood, shifted production back to the States while retaining some of the Italian partners that they still work with today.
This new line of products focuses on hand-applied textures and finishing, using domestic American wood species, all produced to the same high standard of bespoke Italian craftsmanship the company was known for. This hybrid approach to solving flooring problems has proven to be the best formula for success yet.
Despite market fluctuations and economic challenges, LV Wood has remained steadfast in its dedication to quality and innovation. During the 2008 financial crisis, the company weathered the storm by pivoting towards high-end residential projects, opening their first flagship showroom in New York City and capitalizing on the burgeoning demand for luxury wood flooring in NYC and the urban centers of California, Florida, and Texas, and others.
It wasn’t long before their business found extreme success in New York City, becoming a household name with some of the biggest architects and designers in the nation. But while business in the city was great, James began looking for a change of pace. In 2012, James and his wife Tara moved out of NYC to the Hudson Valley and opened Old Souls, an upscale wilderness outfitter and fly shop that now has two locations in Upstate New York, which Tara runs day to day.
Soon after that, James’ fly fishing pursuits and work with longtime Bozeman outfitter Yellow Dog Fly Fishing reeled him back to Montana, a region that had long held a special place in his heart.
With the dawn of a new era and the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, James set his sights on expanding LV Wood’s footprint to an area he and Tara both loved and knew would work for both of their businesses. Despite facing the setbacks of the COVID era, the company forged ahead, buoyed by positive feedback and a steadily growing clientele. LV Wood needed a downtown Bozeman location, but spaces were limited to an extremely select inventory at the time.
James had always had his eye on Onyx Studio’s storefront location, and often used it as an example of his ideal downtown location, never thinking he’d have a shot at the space himself, until being introduced to Ashley Hertz, owner of Onyx Studio. In an incredibly timely and serendipitous turn of events, Ashley told him that she was relocating her showroom to Main Street. James’ dream space soon became a reality and construction on LV Wood’s Bozeman location started shortly thereafter.
Central to LV Wood’s ethos is a deep understanding of wood’s intricacies and a commitment to educating clients on proper care and maintenance. In a region plagued by dryness and fluctuating humidity levels, LV Wood’s expertise shines, offering tailored solutions to mitigate potential damage and ensure the longevity of their products. Moreover, the company prides itself on fostering partnerships with skilled contractors and designers, ensuring seamless installation and unparalleled quality.
LV Wood’s expansion into Bozeman marks a new chapter in an already storied history. The decision to open a showroom in this picturesque Montana town reflects not only a strategic business move but also a deep appreciation for the region’s natural beauty and rich cultural heritage.
Bozeman, located in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, attracts outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers from all over the world. Its vibrant community, composed of artists, entrepreneurs, and adventurers, embodies a spirit of resilience and creativity that resonates deeply with LV Wood’s core values. By establishing a presence in Bozeman, James has already been able to forge connections with local homeowners, architects, and designers, offering them access to exquisite wood products and unparalleled expertise.
“We aren’t here just to work with people building second homes or legacy properties. We’re here to be a part of this community, and that means working with everybody in the community.”
–James Caroll, Principal & Co-founder, LV Wood
LV Wood takes immense pride in starting each project from the ground up by figuring out exactly what each client wants. How do they want each space to feel? Would darker tones fit better in a room with direct southern sun exposure? What is the microclimate like in the area where the home is built? By asking these big-picture questions, James can get a feel for a client’s home environment before moving on to the finer details of the vision, what materials will work best, and which should be avoided to best achieve the customer’s vision. Character or rustic grade? Cathedral or straight grain? All of these variables will change the way a room looks and feels.
As designer and manufacturer of the majority of their materials, LV Wood has an exceptional level of control over the products they make and can adjust them for custom projects. “Changing aspects of a floor’s design doesn’t add any additional question marks to the equation,” says James, “It’s what we do best.” This flexibility allows LV Wood to serve everyone, from customers with expansive budgets looking for very specific high-end wood designs, as well as first-time homeowners who are interested in floors that will stand the test of time. “We aren’t here just to work with people building second homes or legacy properties,’” James adds, “We’re here to be a part of this community, and that means working with everybody in the community.”
Like a living, breathing wood plank, LV Wood is growing into their new home in Montana. We’re just lucky to be able to grow with them.
