I Present to You, Fern, The Wonder Glider

Below is the story I sent Design Sponge for their Before and After series (thanks for the idea, Judy!)

Ever since I saw my friend Betsy’s red-painted metal glider that had belonged to her grandmother’s, I knew I had to have one.  They’re so charming and who doesn’t want to be rocked while potentially lying down?  Betsy’s was, I think, from the 40’s and solid metal with no need for cushions.  While searching and searching ebay, Craigslist, and vintage glider websites, the only ones I could find like hers were not only super-rusted (I expected that) but also $400 and up (I did NOT expect that).  And most of them were at least 3 hours away from my house.

Then, halleluiah, I found Fern.  That’s what I call this little beauty, below: 

I found her on Craiglist at a house that was right around the corner from where I work AND she was owned by fellow alumni of my grad school, AND she was $75!  I’m not sure what I love more—the Bakealite handles on the ashtrays (ASHTRAYS!) or the chrome on the sides that makes her look like a ’57 Chevy.  Though she was rusty, it was only surface rust.  And though most of the cushion covers were in good shape, they weighed a ton so we figured there was a lot of potentially moldy cotton filler in those bad boys.  Everything but the Bakealite handles had to be redone.

Renovating her was a group effort; I decided to have her professionally sandblasted and powder-coated and then I painted her with trusty Rustoleum spray paint, my husband shined her chrome accents (with wet aluminum foil) and my friend Kris who owns One Green Poppy made the cushions.  I even got over my own sewing fears by making some throw pillows for her!  Now she looks like this:

I may never get up again.

Sources:  Fabric: Richloom Wilder Cabana; foam/pillow inserts: Joann Fabrics; paint: Rustoleum Ultra Cover in Satin Eden, glider: Craigslist