‘Home Town Takeover’ Reveals the Best Porch Upgrade, Ever

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The stars of “Home Town,” Erin and Ben Napier, have had their hands full fixing up the town of Wetumpka, AL, in their new show, “Home Town Takeover.” Their latest projects have kept them as busy as ever.

In the episode “Longest Bar in Alabama,” Erin and Ben help improve the town sports bar by giving it a back patio that the whole town will enjoy. They also give a beloved local police officer a home renovation, which includes a kitchen feature that could help many homeowners.

These two projects require a lot of attention, so Erin and Ben ask for help from Mary and Jon Pierre Tjon-Joe-Pin, hosts of HGTV’s “Going for Sold.”

Here’s how Erin and Ben’s improvements help the whole town—and how their ideas might inspire you to update your own kitchen and outdoor space just in time for summer.

Make sure you can see the house

This big tree was blocking the view of this house.

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When Erin and Ben meet Ella Roberts, a police officer, at her house for the first time, they tell her that it could use some cosmetic updates on the exterior.

“The thing about this house is: You know it’s a rock-solid house, but it doesn’t have a lot of personality,” Ben says.

They want to paint the place, add a trellis, and install some board-and-batten siding, but before the Napiers even touch a can of paint, they want to remove the tree from the front yard, so that the house can actually be seen from the street. They enlist Mary and Jon-Pierre for help.

Without the big tree, this yard looks much cleaner.

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“This tree is huge,” Mary agrees. “You can’t even see the house because of this tree. It’s got to come down.”

Once the tree is out, this house already looks much better. Take-home lesson? You can give a home a great exterior makeover, but it won’t be appreciated if no one can see it.

A rolling table adds more counter space—and a serving cart

This table can be wheeled in and out of the kitchen, providing extra counter space when needed.

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Inside, Erin and Ben want to add some extra counter space to Roberts’ kitchen. The space is a little tight to add an island, though.

Instead, Ben ends up building a rollaway cart with a butcher-block counter. This adds extra counter space when needed, but can be put in another spot if the kitchen feels too crowded.

It will also be perfect for entertaining. As an island and serving cart all in one, it’s a convenient addition to the kitchen.

As Ben notes, Ella might cook dinner for her family or guests, then, “She puts it all on this cart and rolls it into her dining room.”

Yellow cabinets add more sunshine to a home

This kitchen was functioning, but could use some upgrades.

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Roberts loves to cook and spends a lot of time in her kitchen, so Erin and Ben want to update the dated decor, to make it feel more inviting. They do this by adding some unique cabinets.

“I want it to feel light and soft and pretty and feminine,” Erin explains. “A butter yellow seems like Miss Ella, just a ray of sunshine.”

While yellow cabinets may sound a bit bold, Erin chooses a soft yellow that warms up the kitchen without making it feel too loud. In the end, this kitchen looks warm, playful, and serves as great inspiration for anyone looking to bring a new glow into the home.

These warm yellow cabinets brighten up the whole kitchen.

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Add windows to your outdoor space to use it year-round

This open patio isn’t comfortable during Alabama summers.

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The local sports bar, Coaches Corner, looks just as a local sports bar should look on the inside: sporty and cozy. However, the big back patio that isn’t used often, because people don’t like to sit outside in the Alabama humidity.

So Erin and Ben decide to add what may be the best porch upgrade ever for any climate, whether it’s too hot or too cold: windows.

“It may sound like ‘Why are they closing up the patio?'” Ben says. “Well, we’re not. You can still see out, and the windows will open, so you still get the open air.”

Enclosing this patio will make this space more comfortable for patrons.

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When they’re finished, the patio is much more livable. Now, customers can enjoy the beautiful view. While screened porches can be an eyesore, glass walls are an elegant way to keep the weather out.

Use natural colors outside

Earthy colors, like green, are perfect for a back patio.

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The best part of this patio is the stunning view of trees and nature, so Erin and Ben want the decor to complement the surroundings. They end up installing a 72-foot, live-edge wood bar on the perimeter, stone detailing, and using lots of green paint on the ceiling.

“Everything we did, we wanted it to feel like you are a part of this scenery,” Erin says. “It is green, like the trees.”

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