Design, Create and Install
was the headline that caught the eyes of Allen and Ellen Stauffer, who were looking to transform an old milk barn on their Pennsylvania farm. They wanted one company that could handle it all, and the ad from Greenfield Finishing—a longtime custom finishing firm in Lancaster, Pennsylvania—was promising.
It was an ambitious project. Built in 1959, the structure hadn’t been used for the last 15 years. But, as Allen Stauffer describes, the weathered white, two-story structure with a sloped gambrel roof, “was too good to tear down.”
A Vision in Motion
The barn became a canvas for his future plans—as a rental, or a comfortable residence where family and guests could stay until the day he and his wife would move there. It would be a permanent home, a place where they could enjoy life amid their acres of open green farmland, housing goats, horses and other animals along with the endless acres and rows of tree and shrubs from their business, Bloomfield Nursery.
Stauffer got to work. He reconfigured some of the barn’s spaces and added a porch. When the 2-bathroom, 3-bedroom residence was roughly framed, he called up Greenfield Finishing to take a look. “We went out there one day and had a very good visit,” recalls Abner King, founder of Greenfield Finishing, who operates the firm with his sons, Dave and Elam. The men walked the job site with Stauffer, offering ideas and options. Then they took measurements and headed back to their Lancaster headquarters. After the drywall was hung and the painting complete, Greenfield would step in and do the rest, outfitting everything from floors, ceilings and doors to every inch of trim, railing and beams. And turning the old barn into something truly special.
a unified approach
Stauffer stepped aside and let Greenfield do what they’ve done superbly for over a quarter of a century—transform spaces by pulling from a wellconsidered palette of materials and colors to design something ideal; then apply a scrupulous eye to its installation.
This integration—across design, creation and installation—was key to ensure that the project would proceed smoothly. By keeping every facet of the project under one roof, King explains, typical construction speed bumps, such as botched delivery times, incongruent materials or miscalculations in size or measurement, would be null.
“They came up with types of woods and colors they thought would work very well with the project,” Stauffer says of Greenfield’s initial design work. “I stepped back and I said, ‘You make it according to your vision because I don’t have that vision.’” Samples—of hardwoods, hues and trim—were sent to the client, with many of Greenfield’s first selections a go with the client. “Ellen Stauffer, the homeowner, told us she wanted ‘a modern, old-fashioned look.’” “We knew what they were looking for,” explains King.
Sharing a key to his success, King states that getting the design right at the outset is pivotal. And happens to be one of his favorite parts of the job. “Coming up with ideas,” he declares, “and coming back to the job site and putting it all together.”
In this case, once the design package of the project was complete, down to the smallest piece of hardware, the team began creating, sourcing and perfecting each detail in order to fulfill the client’s goal, which Stauffer described as this: “To beautify what we created.”
A Delight of details
There were doors to construct and finish. Materials and parts to procure, with extensive customization often performed on each. Finishes were hand-selected and matched, with an eye on visual consistency. Wood flooring and trim, for instance, was sourced from a local mill
workshop, then treated at Greenfield with a durable finish.
Again, having everything in-house was key. Creating or sourcing materials under one roof lends to control of the process, and a seamlessness at the most vital points of the project. “We’re one vendor rather than piecing together lots of separate ones,” points out King. “We put it all together as a package deal, from start to finish.”
At Greenfield’s color lab, for instance, custom colors are produced, and hues are matched precisely across different wood species. For application of paints and finishes, they employ an autosprayer— a high accuracy tool that works with quick speed and ensures consistency among surfaces.
Because the firm is constantly seeking better processes, Greenfield Finishing has moved exclusively to formaldehyde-free catalyzed paints and finishes. The paints and finishes are still high-performance, but more environmentally friendly and with no strong odors, much to the relief of finishers and installers as well as clients, whose newly installed surfaces have a minimal to zero chemical smell.
Once everything was ready, installation would happen next— in three neat waves.
Installation in 3 Phases
Bedford, Pennsylvania is about two hours by car from Greenfield’s headquarters in Lancaster, but every piece was personally transported by the crew, wrapped carefully to ensure its delivery in pristine condition. It’s standard practice for the company, whose jobs regularly take them several hours from their Lancaster, PA shop.
In just three days, white oak floors were installed by Greenfield, their toasty grain and luminous sheen contrasting against the new home’s white walls and sun-splashed rooms. Also installed by the 7-person team was ceiling material, along with doors and trim; the latter both created from Knotty Alder wood and customized with delightful nods to the home’s previous life as a barn, including hand-hewn textures and skillful contrasts of color.
“It was so much fun,” says Greenfield founder Abner King, whose son, J. Daniel led the install crew, and together, they designed custom built-ins, from bookcases and bench seats to a barn door.
The final installation phase included robust wood beams, laid vertically and horizontally along an open-air second level that lets light and air move freely throughout the home, giving it a spacious, open-floorplan feel. Finally, the team installed the intricate custom railing. A centerpiece of the home, the eyecatching wood and metal system runs along the stairs and the half-moon silhouette of the upper-level balcony.
Homeowner Stauffer recounts a pleasant installation process, marked by good teamwork among the installation crew, and positive collaboration between he and the Greenfield team throughout the project. “I would highly recommend Greenfield for any high-end finishing job,” he states. “Abner, his boys, and their team are so nice to work with.”
Quality and precision
As a parting touch, the crew even installed the cabinets in the kitchen, which was the location of a last-minute lightbulb idea. There was extra wainscoting left over, a tongue-and-groove white shiplap featured in the upper level— seen on the wall in the photo, right—around an arched window.
This material was used to accent a portion of the bright kitchen (visible in the image below), creating a nice link between the beam and kitchen in the process. “That just changed the whole picture,” says Stauffer of the effect on the cheerful, bright space.
“That was the icing on the cake.”
It’s the scrupulous details of this new residence that make it remarkable, along with the unrelenting care in which it was crafted. “There’s just no comparison,” Stauffer says of this old milk barn that was recast as a charming modern home, where you’re greeted by a neatly landscaped entrance with a bubbling rock fountain.
Paired with its setting, on lush green acres with pastoral views as far as the eye can see, including a pasture teeming with baby goats during kidding season—the result is a graceful retreat filled with ease, welcome and sunlight. “It fit what we were really in need of,” the homeowner says of Greenfield’s work. “And they delivered.”
The Stauffers named the home “Bluebird Country Guest Barn.” Says Ellen Stauffer, “We accommodated the many warbling bluebirds, that occupy the meadow all year long, with new bird houses on the fence by Halter Creek.” Vacationers interested in a stay at the guest barn can contact the Stauffers at 814-224-4508.
About Greenfield Finishing
From Abner King, Founder of Greenfield Finishing: Established in 1997, our journey began as we proudly finalized our inaugural trim and door package for a contractor. Prior to this venture, our focus was on crafting and selling both indoor and outdoor furniture. It was a friend who recognized our skills and suggested the idea of establishing a custom finishing company. Accompanying him, we explored local builders, contractors, and millwork shops, gathering inspiration, and from that moment forward, there was no turning back!
In 2021, we expanded our family legacy by acquiring my father’s door business, King Doors.
We specialize in delivering exquisite custom finishing, with a keen focus on quality and integrity. We offer a diverse range of door species and styles, including the option for custom designs. From painting and staining to prehanging and installation, we provide a full trim and interior door service, catering to every aspect of the process.
Today, Greenfield Finishing is a family-oriented business, and continues to thrive under the daily operation of Abner King and his sons, Dave and Elam.
