Ben and Erin Napier Design a $310,000 Victorian Home for Their Toughest Client Yet: Home Town's Executive Producer

After living like a nomad for many years, Home Town‘s Executive Producer, Angie, decided to plant roots in Laurel, Mississippi, and when Ben and Erin got wind of it, there was no shaking them. Angie bought a 100-year-old Victorian home for $170,000, and handed $140,000 over to the Napiers to transform it into a resort-inspired dream home, complete with a Floridian colour scheme and a luxurious pool.

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Ben and Erin Napier in front of creamy orange house

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Mississippi Meets the Sunshine State

The pressure was on when Home Town‘s executive producer signed on to be featured on the show. Angie had worked on Home Town since day one (that’s 58 homes, to be exact), and after five years in Laurel, Mississippi, she was finally ready to give up her rental, buy a home, and plant some roots! Ben and Erin knew what a big step this was: Angie had basically lived like a nomad all her adult life, so they wanted to ensure her new home met every one of her expectations (she is their boss, after all).

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Party Like It’s 1999

Angie scored the Victorian home for $170,000, but it was going to take an extra $140,000 to cleanse it of its 1990s upgrades. (Design should have been banned from 1980 to 2000.) Thankfully, what it lacked in style, it made up for in bones. The kitchen was spacious and bright, with room for plenty of cabinetry, a breakfast nook, and a wet bar for entertaining. But it wouldn’t come cheap (as Erin put it, she works scrappy, not crappy). The kitchen renovation was going to eat up $40,000 of Angie’s budget.

Kitchen makeover with blue cabinetry and bright colours

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$40,000 of Culinary Delights

For Angie’s resort-inspired makeover, Erin opted for a nautical colour combo in the kitchen, with dark blue cabinets anchoring the design (get it? Anchors? Nautical design? Ahoy hoy!). White and blue striped tiles in a basket weave design are the icing on the cake (or shall we say, the ocean spray on the wave?).

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Who’s the Boss of This Dining Room?

Much like the kitchen, the dining room and study had great bones, including beautiful wood floors and high ceilings. They required no demolition or reno work, just a fresh coat of paint, a good scrub of the floors, and, of course, Erin’s expert styling. We love the director’s chairs around the dining table (perhaps a subtle nod to Angie’s role on the show?).

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Work From Home Goals

Angie, like everyone circa 2020, needed a functional work-from-home space, so Erin made sure the living room could operate as a cozy study, as well as a room to entertain in. She chose a jewel-toned turquoise for the walls, and paired it with warm, earthy colours, like raspberry and slate blue. It’s boho-meets-burning-the-midnight-oil.

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Grey Matter(s)

Warm grey walls were a no brainer for the bedroom, they help to balance the coral and orange touches on the bedspread.

Ben standing next to a DIY storage piece

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Shut the Front Door

Everyone agreed the original front door had to go. It didn’t match the home’s Victorian charm. But Ben wasn’t about to toss it in the woodchipper. Using the original door, Ben repurposed the wood to create this sweet and sentimental storage piece for Angie’s bedroom. Presenting it to Angie was one of the (many) moments when the Executive Producer was brought to tears.

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Reflecting on the Past

Every angle of the original primary bathroom was in need of an update, but Erin had grand plans for it (with a grand $30,000 renovation budget to match).

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The Best Bathroom in Home Town History

Erin called this the best bathroom in Home Town history, and we’d have to agree. Structurally, very little changed. The long 1990s vanity was replaced with two antique-inspired vanities, and the large shower was given beautiful new tile, a built-in bench, and a dramatic glass door. The built-in tub was also scrapped in favour of a vintage-inspired standing tub. After a long day on set, this is exactly where we’d want to rest, relax and reset.

A swimming pool with fountains and loungers

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The Ultimate Staycation in Laurel, Mississippi

And last, but certainly not least: Angie’s swimming pool makeover! Erin budgeted $15,000 for this space, which saw three fountains added to the pool, beautiful loungers and some spruced up landscaping. All in, Angie spent $140,000 on the renovation, bringing the total value of the home to $310,000. But the value of a happy boss? That’s priceless!