Since 2016, Erin and Ben Napier have made a name for themselves through their city pride and their revitalization of Laurel’s historic properties while featured on the HGTV show “Home Town.”
During the second season of the show, the Napiers were granted the opportunity to create a home filled with unique touches and loads of charm for their dear friends Aly and Jordan Smith. Jordan grew up in nearby Ellisville and met Aly through mutual friends while she was a student, and he was a cheerleader at The University of Mississippi. Jordan was friends with Erin and Ben in school, so the couples’ friendship quickly grew stronger throughout the years. When Aly and Jordan got engaged, Aly requested Erin to create their wedding invitation suite while taking Erin out of her normal creative comfort zone. Erin knocked the design out of the park, and Aly knew instantly she could trust her incredible eye for style. The Smiths ventured to Tennessee for their careers after they married, then moved to Laurel in 2017. Jordan continued his work as a certified public accountant. At the same time, Aly left banking to become the store manager of Laurel Mercantile Company, the storefront and studio owned by their college friends, the Napiers, the Nowells, and the Rasberrys. The business’s true aim is to strengthen the core of their hometown through historic preservation and design.
When “Home Town” aired in January of 2016, Aly and Jordan watched as Erin, Ben, and their team restored, renovated, and designed 11 homes before excitedly turning their keys over for their complete home makeover.
The Napiers accompanied the couple to several listings around town. The Smiths purchased an Italianate home dubbed the “Thompson House” on one of Laurel’s last beautiful brick streets. Built in 1940, the two-story home could barely be seen from the road through the dense and disorderly landscaping. With an exterior clad in pink brick and the inside filled with room after room of red walls and green carpeting, the Smiths saw through the design blemishes and put their trust in Erin’s vision. “Since we were on the second season of “Home Town,” it was incredibly easy to turn the entire process over and not have to worry about what was happening at our house for eight weeks,” Aly notes. After applying with the production company and discussing budgets, they signed a contract promising they would not sneak any peeks at the home during the two months of renovations.
Aly and Erin met about the couple’s main desires for the home. “Erin has a really cool way of finding out what you like without just asking your favorite color,” Aly adds. “She wants to know your favorite books and bands and greatest childhood memories. She has an innate ability to read people’s minds.” Of course, it helped that the couples were friends, and the Napiers took into great consideration the Smith’s desire for comfort and a collected feel. “It didn’t have to be neat or minimalistic,” Aly notes. “I wanted our home to feel lived-in, filled with history and curated to create memories.” Erin and Ben gave the Smiths an idea of possible design changes they would make during the renovations, including an entire kitchen remodel, loads of color changes, and an exterior update. Still, the creative process took over during production in a way that surprised even Erin and Ben. The designer began the process by tackling the house’s front lawn and façade. Limb by limb, the overgrown oak tree that took over the front yard was carefully manicured to expose the home’s beauty, while Italian cypress was added to pay homage to the home’s European charm. By changing the basic white trim to a moody grey-green and installing simple mullions to the second story’s plate glass windows, Erin created a cohesive vibe that changed the entire impression of the home.
Inside, Ben uncovered a wonderful surprise by revealing the beautiful oak floors hidden under the carpet. The home’s flow needed an update as well. By moving the back door from the kitchen to the adjacent space, he created a substantial entryway with unique storage capabilities, including an exterior cabinet to house Jordan’s motorcycle gear and their three dogs’ accessories. The television show focused mainly on the exterior and downstairs of the Smith home since those areas required the most work and allowed the budget to be stretched further. The foyer, living areas, dining room, and kitchen were all reinvented in a new-traditional style that envelops you as you enter each space. “I love a home that feels like it hugs you when you walk inside, and I definitely feel like ours does that for us,” Aly smiles.
While the color story completely changed to warm gray greens and creams, the impeccable attention to detail is what makes the home sing. The thoughtful furnishings and fabric choices Erin selected resulted in spaces that are contemporary yet reminiscent of Aly’s grandmother’s house. Erin arranged the handmade Italian tiles to be installed as the backsplash to the custom stove, which pays homage to the home’s exterior style. In the otherwise neutral space, the tiles bring interest with color and pattern. Ben meticulously created the upholstered coffee table and a pair of hand-turned lamp bases in his Scotsman Collection woodshop. In Aly’s position with Laurel Mercantile, she speaks with people daily, expressing the importance of products made in the United States. “You forget that real people make these products, but the lamps reminded me that there is nothing like knowing who made what’s in your home and the thought that went into each design,” she adds.
Previous owners of the house have contacted the couple since the episode aired. They have all expressed their appreciation for the home’s rejuvenation while the Smiths were able to learn more of each families’ history while living there. The home’s design now honors both the original builders and all the owners that came before the Smiths while complimenting Aly and Jordan’s style and personalities. “It still feels very strange to look back at these pictures and see ourselves and our friends on HGTV’s ‘Home Town,’” Aly laughs. “You never know what you will do or say in front of a camera or what your voice will sound like on television.” With utmost gratitude, Aly’s main goal was for the house to reflect her and Jordan’s life together. She adds, “A house can belong to anybody. A home is a very personal thing.”
