We’ve all done it — admired something in a neighbor’s home and secretly wished they would sell it to us. Gutsy Gabe and Amanda, owners of a 1954 North Carolina time capsule house , had their eye on a nearby home’s vintage screen door for years before they inquired about buying it. Much to their delight, the owner gave it to them for free.
Gabe writes:
I’ve passed this house my whole life but for the past few years I’ve longed to own that killer screen door! The house has been vacant for a couple years now so I stopped to ask the neighbors about the owner and told them I was interested in buying the decoration off the screen. They took my name number and I also left a note on the door as well.
Last month I finally received a phone call from the owner. She was so nice and said I could just come get it. She had acquired the property from her grandmother who is now in assisted living. They were planning to sell the house on the courthouse steps and wasn’t worried about a missing screen door. As a matter of fact she was delighted that we took interest in preserving it.
After getting it home and taking it apart from the old door frame, it needed quite a bit of TLC. My dad and I bent the pieces back into shape, fabricated a new cattail leaf to replace one that was missing.
Then we made a frame out of square metal tubing to help attach it to my door at home. We also made little mounting brackets to mount it by, and to hold the whole thing up off the glass.
Then it was sent off to be sandblasted and powder coated to match my door at home.
When I got it back I was amazed at the detail that was preserved under the decades of house paint and rust. Notice the feathers, beak and eye. Things were made so great back then (1920’s or 30’s) this thing is still a heavy and beautiful piece of decorative steel even after being in the elements all those years.
Next, I centered it up, and mounted it to our glass storm door using sheet metal screws. I think the little lady’s grandma would be proud of our repurposing her vintage screen door appliqué ! Now it may survive on for further generations to be appreciated!
You guys did a fantastic job refinishing the vintage screen door — and it looks wonderful on your house, too. Thanks so much for sharing your story with us. You’ve given me the guts to finally ask some of my neighbors about those midcentury bits I’ve been wondering about. Hopefully I have your kind of luck!
UPDATE: After this story went live, we heard from Linda, granddaughter of the woman who was the original owner of the vintage screen door that Gabe and Amanda refinished.
Linda writes:
OMG! my Grandmother’s screen door looks so beautiful, you did such a fantastic job. As a child,I always loved that door, unfortunately my Grandmother passed away and my 2 aunts had the house and as they aged so did the house. I’m so glad that you left that note and you preserved a part of my childhood. Indeed Ms. Lena would have been so glad that it found such a beautiful home. Enjoy!
Cosette says
I am pea green with envy as well!!
I have seen a few of these down here in Florida over the years.
I long to have one for my 1957 atomic bomblette of an abode which I have named Heron House after the Great Blue Herons that frequent my neighborhood here on the banks of the Manatee River.
Lucky!! Lucky!! Lucky!!
Mary Elizabeth says
Beautiful country you are in, and yes, herons are all over the place on the Gulf Coast! Hope you find your heron door. Suggest you find your closest Habitat for Humanity Restore and let them know you are interested. Have cards made up saying you want a screen door with a heron decoration, including your phone number. Also, offer to buy people’s screen doors and look at your local dump/transfer station for ones that have been pulled out. Or, you can do what this couple did and knock on the door and ask for it.
Sheryl Fowler says
I am so jealous. The house we lived in when my father was a medical resident in Memphis had a screened door like this, sans water bird. I have searched for one for my own house ever since. But the bird!! Oh, what I wouldn’t give… . Thanks for sharing this and turning me green with envy!
Marybeth says
beautiful!
Bronwyn says
What a wonderful save!
I’m just curious where you would send something like that to be sandblasted and powder coated?
Gabriel Nicholson says
There is a great place nearby here called New Finish sandblasting and powder coating- they are great at this stuff!
Jackie says
Lovely! My Great Aunt Daisy had that door! Brings back such wonderful memories of her house. Seems like that was a common door, at least through the south–even more so than the similar design featuring swallows. Who made those doors?
Gabriel Nicholson says
I have no idea who made these, but I’m looking for more of them! Glad it brought back great memories for you!
Laurie Louise says
Love it! And your home…oh my word! There’s a house near us with a swoopy screen door that sports a bucking bronco. Covet is not a strong enough word. I’ve been planning to approach them…this inspires me to go ahead and do it. In the same area are two modern screen doors that have connected rectangles. I ogle these doors every time I pass. Thanks for sharing your terrific save!
Gabriel Nicholson says
Oooohhh I’d love to see those!!!! Go ask em’!!
Chicago Char says
There’s a huge iron gate nearby I have wanted to rescue for 10 years, so maybe the time is now although I have found it spurs the owners to suddenly value it to top dollar. Still if that spurs them to pay attention and refurbish it, it is worth it to ask. Hmmm.
I suggest dabbing some touch-up matching paint on top those screws to further blend them in – of course it likely would wear off. It looks wonderful regardless, especially in the night photo, and would be a pleasure to enjoy upon arrival.
" DAD" says
Love doing old stuff and seeing the results
Gabriel Nicholson says
Thanks for all you do Dad!! Couldn’t have done it without you- your the best!! I love you!!
pam kueber says
Gabe’s dad! Yes, thank you!!!
Retro says
Love it! Thank you so much for being one of “our kind” of people – those lovely wackadoodles that see something they love and go for it. You did a wonderful thing, preserving such a beautiful piece of art.
midmichigan says
You guys did a great job restoring that piece. Now the question is what kind of bird is it? I don’t think that’s a flamingo’s beak. Maybe it’s a snipe.
Diane in CO says
You raise a provocative question. Clearly it’s not a flamingo nor a stork — nor a great blue heron nor an ibis or great egret. At least as far as I can discern…..
Anyone?
Diane in CO says
…perhaps a white crane?
Kate: idea for uploader: Vintage things we admire/covet in others’ homes, in the neighborhood, sighted in our travels…?
Kate says
There’s and idea Diane! 🙂
midmichigan says
With the straight bill and the two feather head plumage, I think it is a Heron.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ardea_(genus)#mediaviewer/File:Great_Blue_Heron_On_Rock1.jpg
It looks like it to me but I’m no bird expert.
Roundhouse Sarah says
Definitely a heron. This has always been my favorite design on the swirl screen doors. Living in Louisiana we see herons and egrets all the time and I’ve always thought this design would be the most appropriate for my southern home.
Mary Elizabeth says
I agree that it is a heron, probably a Great Blue. We see many of them in the Connecticut, some as permanent residents and some on their way to and from their summer quarters in Maine and Canada and their winter quarters in Florida and points south. That’s why we call stocked fishing ponds and decorative koi ponds “heron feeders.” 🙂
Gabriel Nicholson says
Thanks for the heads up on the Heron- that’s very interesting!!
Robin Sawyer says
I love your story of the screen door discovery and restoration. I have what appears to be the same insert. Are the scrolls iron and the rest steel? Thank you for sharing your story. You did a beautiful job on restoring your wonderful find!