I re-covered those ugly cushions and I think it turned out great. It was a pretty easy project and it was totally affordable for my budget. I posted about it here http://neurosesgalore.com/2010/05/04/rocker-restyle/ and http://neurosesgalore.com/2010/07/09/the-end-of-ugly-gliders/

I have found many smaller rockers at thrift stores from about $10 to $30. You can get a nice upholstery fabric for $10 -$20/ yd. Then you should be able to find an upholsterer to do the work for around $300. That's still out of my budget but maybe its in yours.

Sorry, I didn't actually make them links... let's try that one more time. here and here

I actually modeled my nursery after this blogger's style, even down to the chair. Since I didn't want to blow $1,000 on a chair I wasn't going to use for more than a couple years, I opted to purchase the Poang bouncer chair and foot rest from Ikea. Fabric in oatmeal and wood in dark brown. <http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S69825283> I then removed the pads and used 3 packs of iDye in turquoise to dye it in the washer. Color is spot on to this chair, plus it's super comfy and totally affordable. Good luck!

Can you make your own? http://www.ehow.com/how_7631849_convert-upholstered-chair-glider-rocker.html this link tells you how to take a base from a glider chair (cheap on craigslist) and attatch it to the bottom of a regular chair, then upholster the whole thing. It would take a little work, but I bet it would turn out nicely!

There are some tutorials floating around online with instructions on painting upholstery. The results tend to look great! Most of the write-ups say the texture is like a painted canvas - not crunchy.

That gives you options to buy less expensive new or look for used with an eye to changing the color, covering stains, etc.

We bought a La-Z-Boy rocking recliner and picked out a great melon (orange) fabric. I'm sure you can find a store near you where you can order any model (I assume they make gliders, but love my chair) in any of their fabrics. Ours ran around $600...

Thanks so much for your great suggestions! I'm trying to be more of a DIYer, so maybe this is the project to really get things going. If not, there's always La-z-boy! :-)

I have an armchair at home that I really like and I'm always wondering if it might be affordable to find someone who could add an attractive rocking base to it... I'm thinking like the Joya Rocker ( http://www.montedesign.net/modern-nursery-joya-rocker.html ) from monte design. Maybe that would be a workable option for you, too?

The problem is you may find a chair that looks similar, but will be much less for a reason- you will comprimise on quality, comfort, longevity, etc. You get what you pay for, so I would scour craigslist first for the Jennifer Delonge one you want.

I've been checking craigslist, but apparently Jennifer Delonge is not popular here in the Denver area...

What about checking out floor models in store? I got mine half off for buying the floor model, it was still 600$ but it doesn't disappoint. The comfort is really great and since I like the look of the chair, I'll be able to move it in the living room or another room of the house once we're done using it for kids!

The luca glider by Monte designs is similar and we bought a flor model from the company for half price ($500) They have the best customer service--- you could also check craigslist for this similar design.

I love your chair! And I too couldn't afford something so pricey so I just bought this chair

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3568995&fromRegistryNumber=46745295&product_skn=192585

I read reviews all over the net and people seem to love it. Comes in multiple colors BUT the shipping is kinda pricey. I had them give me a discount on the chair so I got it for $260 instead of $399. Good luck!

Hi, Gavin's mommy here.
I'd recommend Urban Outfitters. They have great fun fabrics but less functionality (won't rock). But surprise surprise, Gavin doesn't like the rocking anyway.

the ikea poang rocker is a good alternative. http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S09889683. ikea use to have another rocker that was little more stylish than the poang but can't find it any more.

Thanks everyone for your great suggestions! I appreciate your help!

This is my ABSOLUTE FAVE solution to the ugly gliders problem. Cheap & (fairly) easy!!
GET INSPIRED! :)
www.rockpaperscissorgraphics.ca/Upload/glider.html

This is my ABSOLUTE FAVE solution to the ugly gliders problem. Cheap & (fairly) easy!!
GET INSPIRED! :)

http://www.rockpaperscissorgraphics.ca/Upload/glider.html

Not sure how low to the ground this is but I like it. http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/catalog/productdetail.jsp?itemdescription=true&itemCount=80&startValue=1&selectedProductColor=&sortby=&id=17118241&parentid=A_FURN_FURNITURE_CHAIR&sortProperties=+subCategoryPosition,+product.marketingPriority&navCount=40&navAction=poppushpush&color=&pushId=A_FURN_FURNITURE_CHAIR&popId=A_FURN_FURNITURE&prepushId=&selectedProductSize=

I'm in the process of reupholstering a mid century glider and well, it's not as easy or cheap as I thought. Fabric alone can cost a lot, even at joanns with their half off sales you're still paying $20 a yard and you'll probably need 4-5 yards. Heaven help you if you need to replace the foam/batting. i found a wholesale shop and still payed around $120 for all the foam and batting. Finally, it depends a lot on the chair but I pulled over 300 staples from one chair. Now that I've collected all the parts and stripped the chair I'm finally ready to start covering it. It's not for the faint of heart but I wanted to learn and it's a little cheaper than taking it somewhere.
It is a sure way to get a bold color, just make sure you're comfortable with what you're doing before you buy something at the salvation army.

I bought this: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Dorel-Ottoman-Frame/15561471 for my daughter's nursery. For just under $170 I have a functional, cute rocker that didn't break the bank. We have been rocking her in it for 10 months and I have to say this was one of the best things we've ever purchased!

I got this chair in a different color, though I live in a big city couldn't find it in any stores to test run. I was actually surprised because it doesn't seem as high quality as I would expect for the price- though it looks sensational. You can lean your head back nicely and it glides beautifully, but not super padded like some other chairs that feel like clouds. The velvet would be better described as microsuede, it the shortest, coarsest velvet I ever felt.

Check thrift stores for alternatives, I saw loads. Never buy full price fabric from a fabric store- they charge TONS event with the 40% JoAnn coupon. In Chicago, try Designer Discount Outlet. I got posh, taupe velvet for $8 yard because they ordered too many bolts.