Quick heads up to tell you about an hour-long original pilot called Home Town that’s airing on HGTV this Sunday, January 24 at 11am CST! Thanks to an insta-introduction by another Instagrammer I follow, I e-met this cutie pie couple (Ben and Erin Napier) a couple of days ago:
I had SO much fun scrolling through their photos and was pumped to read about their new show, Home Town.
I reached out to Erin and she said that in their pilot episode, they help bring new-to-towners, Ross and Laura Tew, into the fold of their quirky, lovable neighborhood, by working together with a team of local architects, builders and craftsmen, to restore an old house for them to call home.
On her blog Erin says, “Ben and I aren’t home flippers, we’re just a woodworker and an artist who love our town and want to see it brought back to life the way it was in it’s hey-day…and with the help of our friends, we’ll do just that.”
Here are some photos of Ben and Erin’s house that I pulled over (with permission from Erin!) from their Instagram feed. I also included Erin’s captions so you could get a feel for her sunny personality. 🙂
“Y’all come in! Every room in our house is white with exception of the “pass through” rooms like the entryway, where I hope anyone walking in the door immediately feels cozy and welcomed. You won’t find photos of @btnapier and me because our walls are covered with the people we love, our grandparents and parents, holding watermelons proudly beside a lake in 1949, riding bicycles in rolled up jeans, posing with an English setter and an awkward haircut, laughing, holding up blue crabs on some distant dock. Our people were young and silly and adventurous, they shaped who we are and what we become, and their presence everywhere we turn makes home feel the way it should–the most comfortable place where we can be ourselves. Each frame has a tiny brass label holder with that branch of the family’s surname so people can say “Oh Ben! You have her eyes!” Or “Your brother stands just like that too!” The entry paint is Java by Eddie Bauer. Sometimes it’s grey, sometimes it’s green or brown. @scotsman.co made the screen doors to the porch and in the spring and fall, I love to hear that creeeeeeak SMACK of coming and going.”
“Our kitchen was the only room in the house that got a total renovation when we bought it in 2011. The butcher block countertops were a steal from Ikea and we found the antique drawer and door pulls at an architectural salvage shop in Boston. They’re assorted and mismatched- some are brass, some are enameled, and each one is my favorite. My favorite Mississippi artist is Walter Anderson, so we hung his alligator and Ocean Springs prints above the fridge and by the back door. I designed a refrigerator cabinet and @scotsman.co built it just the way I dreamed. It’s weird, but when I daydream about home, I imagine cutting lemons at the sink.”
“The breakfast room with the butler’s pantry and all that original old wavy glass in the cabinet doors made my heart beat fast the first time sweet Mrs. Mary Lyn gave us a tour of the house. When we bought the house, we changed the light fixture and cabinet hardware and filled the shelves with all the white and aqua ceramic dinnerware I made in my senior year ceramics class at Ole Miss. The little antique oak table and chairs came with the house since they’re such a perfect fit in the breakfast nook.”
“And now that I’ve recovered from The Revenant, back to our regularly scheduled house tour programming! ? I felt so inspired by the living room in Something’s Gotta Give and took a few cues from the set including the Dash and Albert striped cotton rug. Our house originally had no bookcases, so we added a wall of built ins surrounding the French doors to the dining room and filled them with Southern noir, art history, books about old Florida and lots and lots of fiction. There may or may not be a framed photo of Ernest Hemingway hanging amongst the family pictures and the books. You know, crazy old Uncle Papa.”
“Our dinner table was the first piece of furniture @scotsman.co ever built. Now he’s embarrassed by how primitive it is, but to me it’s a treasure. The top is made from my parents’ old back porch flooring that they replaced and the legs are their old front porch columns, so in that way, I always have a piece of my childhood home here with me. The 13-star centennial replica flag from the early 1900s was an estate sale find for $3, and the chairs came from flea markets from Biloxi to Virginia. As long as they were super sturdy and had a nice, early American shape, we bought them all for around $20 each. The original WWII Red Cross ad with its cloth backing is one of my favorite things in our house. The French grain sack upholstered wingback chair came from@southernantiques, just around the corner from our shop, and my mama @kcrasberry made the table runner from a drop cloth. It has two simple slate blue rows of stitches down the center that sort of mimic the wingback chair. Our house is very informal and it’s important that all of our closest can gather around the table when they come over for dinner.”
“14 days until #HGTVHomeTown airs! I think you’re gonna love the Tews house, but for a few more days I’ll be walking you through ours. We lived here for two years before we turned the long, narrow closet under the stairs into a half bath right off the office. It was so narrow and the ceiling sloped all the way down to the floor which made it pretty unusable once it was full of stuff. I wanted it to feel like a New England cottage, though most people say it reminds them of being on an old boat. We painted the walls high gloss Dover White, the ceiling Nantucket Gray (like the hallway) and @scotsman.co made a shelf around the top that keeps our collection of travel jars that hold pebbles, sand, and tags with the location of all the places we’ve been. We found the little antique cast iron sink hidden under the leaves at my grandparents’ old farm in the woods and refinished it for the bathroom. The mirror came out of the old grey house @btnapier lived in in college. He took it with him when we graduated, because we are embarrassingly sentimental. There are bookshelves with Hemingway and Larry Brown, portraits of presidents, sea captains and war generals. We never miss the storage.”
“Our bedroom usually has a couple pair of size 14 work boots laying around that I stub my toes on in the night. We couldn’t find an antique iron bed to fit @scotsman.co, but this reproduction struck my fancy. I keep it dressed in linen that’s cool in the Mississippi summer, but plenty warm in the winter, with an extra blanket at the foot of the bed on the old hope chest we found at a flea market. A gallery wall of old mirrors hangs beside the dresser, and the sconces keep it dim and cozy for reading at bedtime while @btnapier snores.”
“I can’t believe we finally spilled the beans yesterday. It’s so real now, and it’s killing me that we all have to wait and see which house Ross and Laura will pick on Home Town in a couple weeks, so to pass the time…I’ll just be sharing some interiors of our house so you’ll get to know our style before the big day! The glass doors on our stairs are original to the house from 1925. @scotsman.co pulled up the carpet that was covering them, made panel moulding for the stairwell and then gave it all a fresh coat of Sherwin Williams Dover White semi gloss. You’re gonna see a lot of Dover White up in here. It’s my spirit color. We hung art from my favorite old @thedecemberists album, The Crane Wife, and filled the stairs with black and white photos of our parents and siblings. I believe your home should reflect your history more than decor trends.”
(Note about the doors: They don’t latch- they just swing. They are original to the house and they were used to regulate the temperature between the upstairs and downstairs back in the day. What’s extra awesome is that Ben and Erin are still using them for that purpose today. Erin said they rarely go upstairs, so keeping them closed helps keep the first floor stay warm in the winter and cool in the summer.)
I’m hoping their pilot episode does well, and that HGTV picks up the series because, based on their spirit and style, I just *know* I’d love it! We’ll be at church when the pilot airs on Sunday, but I’ve got our DVR set to record it, and because I know the network will track how many people actually tune in while the episode is airing, I’m going to leave my TV on while we’re gone that morning too! 😀 (If you have a chance to watch or record it (or let your pets watch it while you’re at church- ha!), I know they’d sure appreciate the support, too!)
…and speaking of renovations: y’all we have some EXCITING things going on in our living room right now. One planned project has spiraled into four unplanned updates that have TOTALLY amped up the personality factor of the room! I’ve got one more thing to paint, and then I’ll snap some photos and blog about what we’re up to. So excited to share the new ideas with you next week!
Sylvia
Can’t wait to see your new designs. I have been in lots of old houses in the South, but have never seen doors on a stairway. I love it.
Layla
Thank you, Sylvia! And I hadn’t ever seen doors on a stairway either…so neat!
Cari
I need doors like that to my basement. It is so cold there now and it would be great to keep them shut to keep the warmth upstairs.
Cindy
I have seen some of their renovation in a magazine. They are a cute, cute couple. Thank you for posting this.
Layla
Sure thing, Cindy! XO
froot loop
What a beautiful home. Excited to see their show.
Cheryl @ The Creative Me and My McG
WOW that home is gorgeous! I sure hope that HGTV Canada picks it up or I won’t be able to see it!! I guess I will have to follow along some other way just in case!
Denise
Love it!.
Jenny B.
I’ve seen those stairway doors on Pinterest! 🙂 I had no idea where they came from, or that they were original to the house. It makes so much sense to have them there. More builders should do that in 2-story houses. It needs to be a new trend! Thanks for introducing us to Erin and Ben!
Sharon
Thanks for the heads up on the show. I’ve seen this house on Pinterest and love it!
Julia
What a great couple and I hope their show is a hit! I love their house, so comfy.
Robbin
awesome!!! I will be home from church by then and I’ll tune in!! I guess I missed the “address” for their blog. Can you post it please?? Blessings to you my sweet friend from COLD MISSOURI!
Erin
Hey Robbin! Thank you so much! Our website is erinandben.co. 🙂 Hope to “see” you on Sunday!
Erica
I’m a long time reader of both blogs and live about 30 miles north of Erin and Ben! It’s cool to see you guys connect… and represent our South so well 🙂
Miranda
This looks like a show that could quickly become a favorite! Thanks for sharing. For the record I think you & your hubby should have your own show!
Laura Tew
We are so excited about Home Town! Thanks for the link to our website!
Heather
I love the way you support others. I think it says a lot about you as a person!
sarita
how fun! i love the little round sink,it reminds me of one my great aunt had in a little off the kitchen bathroom….i will watching this new program. i also love all the pctures they have hanging in that little bathroom..war generals?!
Christin
Their home is beautiful! I love that each piece has meaning and a purpose. This is exactly what I want for my house! I’m going to go follow her on Instagram, STAT! Thanks for sharing them with us. Can’t wait to watch the show.
Lauren
Her house is beautiful and sounds like they are such bubbly, wonderful people. I wish them all the luck and best!! Hopefully it becomes a permanent HGTV series.
Oh can’t wait to see the update 🙂
Lauren | Lovely Decor
http://www.lovelydecor.co
xx
SANDRA
I can’t wait to see it on HGTV! Love their stairway wall color. What is it?
Michelle
What a beautiful house and couple.
I think their house was featured in Country Living Magazine or in some other magazine awhile ago. I remember seeing the foyer or pass through room, the extrior and loved their style. So excited to see the show and hope HGTV makes Home Town a permanent show.
Looking forward to you sharing the updates to your living room.
Jane Cappelletti
That is so awesome!! My sister is Cathy Padgett. Her and Cliff owned that house way back before they moved to Georgia! It is awesome to see homes in Laurel being changed and updated.
Thanks for sharing!
Debbie Delosreyes
Can’t wait to see what you have done, have been impatiently , ahem patiently waiting.
Thanks for sharing about this neat upcoming show. I love their house.
Julie
I know this house! I saved it ages ago from a website and put it in my Dreamy Homes file in pinterest. I go back to it often with the same loving feelings the first time i saw it!
Sandra Herrington
I , like you was in church when your program aired. The tv was left on and DVR set to record your show. Late Sunday night I veiwed the show with anticipation , not to be disappointed! The animated banter between you and your husband, the hints of history of Laurel in relationship to the lumber and brick industry and the reality of good old southern hospitality warmed my heart. As Ole Miss fans we loved your shout out to the Rebel nation as well as the connection to Stringer, Ms. (Our son I law was raised in Stringer). Loved everything about the show and look forward to more shows!
Liz
Do you have a link to her blog?
Layla
Yes! Here it is, Liz: https://erinandben.co/
kelly
Aren’t they just the cutest! I loved their show and their down to Earth attitudes. It makes me feel like we would be friends in real life! 🙂
Mary Slimp
Love, love, love this show! Thank you for alerting us to it. Hope and pray they get a series.
lisa
I have no knowledge about how blogging or HGTV pilots work. But this seems to keep popping on several blogs that I follow. There seems to be a period of time where the bloggers are filming a pilot. Then months later they get to announce that they were in process but their pilot did not get “picked up” (I’m an accountant … I read “they didn’t get paid for their time or content”). I truly hope this is not the case. But this all seems like new territory and I really hope that creative entrepreneurs that have developed an audience via blogging at their own time & expense, are not being “used” to produce free content for large corporations holding out the promise of a pilot that will eventually pay, but never becomes a reality.
Sharon
Is there anywhere online to view the Pilot? I was out of town & unable to DVR. I set it to record for the rebroadcasting but it wasn’t their show in the time slot for the date given. Would love to see it!