Erin and Ben Napier Make a Fresh Start in ‘Home Town Takeover’

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“Home Town” stars Erin and Ben Napier have done great work making over homes in Laurel, MS. And now, they’ve branched out to a new town in a new show!

In “Home Town Takeover,” the Napiers set out to breathe new life into the tiny, run-down community of Wetumpka, AL. In just four months, they’ll update key homes, stores, and other areas with some help from fellow HGTV stars who are willing to lend a hand.

In the premiere episode, “First Hammer Swing,” Jenny and Dave Marrs from “Fixer to Fabulous” come to help the Napiers renovate a foster home, while Erin and Ben focus on revitalizing a local clothing boutique. Here’s how these first two projects pan out, which might inspire some renovation tips for your own home and community, too.

A new paint job can make a home feel more welcoming

This house desperately needed a new coat of paint.

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The very first house Erin and Ben fix up in this town is the home of foster parents Kasey and Ray Moody. The Moodys have two boys living with them, and they want the house to feel inviting for any new foster kids they welcome in the future.

“What they’re doing is teaching every child that passes through their door about generosity and love,” Erin says. “It’s going to be this generational ripple effect of helping in their community.”

When it comes to the exterior, one thing Kasey and Ray really want is some new paint.

“It needs paint, ’cause some random guy keeps telling me I need to scrape my house and paint it,” Kasey says.

Jenny and Dave Marrs decide on a paint color.

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Sure enough, the paint has faded and chipped, exposing some brick. It’s clear this house needs a new look.

So Erin and Ben decide to paint the house blue. Jenny and Dave help out by finding a hue that reminds them of a cottage. When paired with an emerald green door and natural wood shutters, the house gains a fresh, calm vibe that will certainly be welcoming to the Moodys’ future foster kids.

This blue color works well with the wood shutters.

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Simplify columns for a more modern look

These pillars instantly date the house.

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Another feature Kasey would like to change is the wrought-iron columns in the carport.

“When we first bought this house, the first thing I said had to go was the columns in the carport,” she says.

Luckily, Erin has an idea to update this feature: “We want to wrap it so that the wrought iron just goes away.”

Jenny and Dave help out by removing the swirly wrought-iron columns and replacing them with simpler posts. The look is cleaner and makes the house feel more timeless.

This simpler look is much less dated.

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A new paint color can update old features

This paneling adds character to this room.

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Inside this house, Kasey and Ray have a lot of great living spaces, but the rooms need some small updates. While Ben points out that the vertical wood paneling in the family room may be a little dated, Erin begs to differ.

“I’m super into it,” Erin says of the paneling. “We actually have something similar in our laundry room that we painted. It can be beautiful.”

So Erin and Ben paint the paneling white, giving the space a fresh, open feel. It proves that a new color can make an old feature feel new.

By painting this paneling, the crew makes the room feel fresh and modern.

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Use bold colors for a true statement wall

These white panels don’t show a lot of personality.

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Once the Moody house is finished, Erin and Ben direct their attention to Tabatha Powe and her boutique, which is on the verge of closing.

“We want to renovate The Tapp 18 because it puts a spotlight on a business that I think businesses all over the country can relate to,” Erin says.

The Napiers make a lot of changes to this shop. Most importantly, Erin replaces some white wall tiles with dark wood and a floral accent. Once done, it makes this space pop.

“Tapp 18 needs to feel more modern and chic,” Erin says. “I know what she was trying to do, she had the right idea, to draw attention to the point of sale, but we can do better.”

Deep colors and a floral fixture make this space really stand out.

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Don’t forget to update the ceiling

This ceiling made the shop feel dated and cold.

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While the new point of sale makes a big difference, Erin and Ben aren’t done with this shop yet. Another big change they make is on the ceiling.

“We’re going to replace this office acoustic tile drop ceiling with a replica pressed-tin ceiling,” Ben says. “It’ll make a lot more sense with this 100-year-old building.”

While this replica tin ceiling is not the original ceiling and not real tin, this new look gives the shop a more classic, vintage feel.

This new ceiling feels more classic.

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