General Contracting and my interest in woodworking inspired me to start a wood products company in Nashville, TN in 2004. I had a 20,000 sf shop and warehouse where we specialized in old world, vintage, antique, commodity solid wood flooring, staircases and architectural millwork distribution.

We became known for custom inlays and replica parquets. Our products found their way into luxury homes, hotels, and Universities from New York to California. Our products in Nashville can be found in the grand foyer of David Lipscomb University, the Green Hills Mall, and homes all over middle Tennessee. Communities like Westhaven, Laurel Brook, Avalon, Governor’s Club, Belle Meade, East Nashville as well as large condominium communities in the 12th south, 8th Avenue and Germantown area.

As a native Nashvillian I grew up in Franklin, TN and on a 230 acre horse farm just outside Leipers Fork, TN. Over 20 years ago I General Contracted my first home. A white circa 1890’s farm house. I salvaged as much of the history and original lumber and stone I could including hand written letters found in the walls, a corn cob pipe and lots of empty cans of Palmade. 

Later, I repurposed the antique Poplar and Beach into furniture. I used all exotic native species like Black Locust wide plank flooring milled from old fence post and Spalted (Ambrosia) Maple flooring. A split staircase using a contrasting combination of black walnut and curly, birds-eye Maple including a french Bordeaux parquet. The kitchen cabinets were solid rustic Hickory and I hand hewn beams for exposed collar ties and in the eighteen and twenty-one foot vaulted ceilings. Turning the historic colonial house into an eclectic Greek Revival. 

I believe I inherited my interest for woodworking, and craftsmanship from my Grandfather. He was a combustion engineer and built all of his homes. The last house he built before he passed was in Brentwood, TN. I remember as a young boy watching from around his shoulder as he sat at his large hand-made draft table sketching plans by hand with a compass, slide rule and #2. 

I admired how he organized his tools, read books constantly, chuckled not laughed, seldom spoke and never said a cross word about anyone. 

My aim is to continue in his legacy as well as his character.

Jae Botávn