Erin and Ben Napier of ‘Home Town’ Reveal Where To Find Cute Homes for Less Than $100K
HGTV
On “Home Town,” Erin and Ben Napier prove time and again that homebuyers don’t have to pay tons of money for a beautiful house. Sometimes, they might even find one for less than $100,000.
In the Season 7 episode “A Colorful Match,” Erin and Ben meet Rahkeam and LaDijonay Parker, parents of two young boys and first-time homebuyers. The Napiers help this family find a two-bedroom, 1.5-bathroom home in Laurel, MS for just $90,000.
Granted, this 1910 home seems drab and run down, but after a $75,000 renovation, this family of four has a beautiful starter home for a total cost of just $165,000.
The key ingredient that brightens up this humble abode is tons of color. In fact, this home’s bold hues go beyond what the Napiers would typically use, but that’s what these clients request.
“The Parkers really love color. Like, love, love really bright color,” Erin explains.
Here’s how the Napiers incorporate lots of color without going overboard, with plenty of lessons you might be inspired to try yourself.
Add a colorful exterior accent
Before: The color palette on this old home seemed drab.HGTV
Right away, Erin knows that the gray exterior of this home is far too drab for this couple’s tastes. While the obvious choice would be to paint the vinyl siding, Erin explains that this would “cost a fortune.” Besides, the vinyl is in good shape.
Instead, she suggests adding a pop of color near the roofline.
“I know you want some color, so add a mango accent piece up in that top gable,” she tells Rahkeam and LaDijonay.
After: Orange pops on the gable and patio doors give this home some pizazz.HGTV
The couple love this idea, and Ben gets to work on this accent piece, using wood found during the demolition. Once installed, this bright orange architectural feature makes this once-dull house look bright and burst with personality.
Porch furniture can add color to an exterior, too
This table and chair set add color without taking over the space.HGTV
While the orange gable accent helps give this home some personality, Erin isn’t sure this is enough to satisfy the Parkers. So she buys inexpensive metal outdoor furniture and spray-paints them a bold blue.
“I want to add color where we can, so it’ll be in the porch furniture,” Erin explains. “We’ll do this turquoise. It’s not every day you get to spray-paint something electric blue.”
While this hue might be too much in large doses, Erin points out that, “because it’s this very thin metal, it’s not a lot. It’s not in your face.”
In the end, the patio furniture is an eye-catching addition. Not only does it provide extra seating, but it also helps to add some color to the outside of this house in a creative, cost-effective way.
Think beyond trendy tones
This kids’ room has bunk beds and orange walls.HGTV
Inside the house, Erin also adds plenty of color in the bedrooms. She chooses a vibrant orange for the kids’ room and plum for the main bedroom. The shades look great, but Erin admits that these aren’t colors usually found in her design.
“I’ve never used such a rich, velvety purple color,” she admits.
The main bedroom is covered in a daring dark purple.HGTV
Still, the HGTV star encourages homeowners to choose colors they like, not the ones that are most popular.
“Forget fads. When it comes to your own house, paint your house with colors that make you feel good,” she says. “These are the colors that make them feel good.”
Make use of space near the ceiling
Before: This living room was a good place to create a brand-new kitchen.HGTV
While Rahkeam and LaDijonay’s new home has a lot of character, with just 1,550 square feet of space, it’s admittedly small for a family of four. So Erin and Ben need to get creative when it comes to moving the kitchen and creating space for a washer and dryer.
“We’re really focused on space efficiency here,” Erin says during the renovation. “We want to squeeze every last drop out of this house that we can, and we’ve got these superhigh ceilings.”
After: Erin and Ben Napier use as much space as possible by installing 8-foot-tall cabinetry.HGTV
To make use of this vertical space, the team installs 8-foot-tall cabinets, including double doors to hide a washer and dryer.
To make sure this couple love the space, Erin paints these new, space-saving cabinets blue. It’s a colorful addition that also works with the small space.
This blue kitchen also serves as a laundry room.HGTV
Even out bold colors with neutral hues
White kitchen counters were the perfect pairing for the bold cabinetry.HGTV
While Erin is happy to incorporate plenty of bold colors, she points out that not every feature should make a statement. That’s why she’s sure to select simple white countertops for the kitchen.
“When you have so much color in the room, this white gives your eye a little rest,” she explains.
When the kitchen is finished, it’s clear that Erin made the right choice. While the blue cabinets could seem too bold in some kitchens, the white countertops balance out the look here.
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