A House That "Sings" for a Nashville Songwriter
Home Town's Erin and Ben Napier help a singer-songwriter update a vintage home, creating a vibrant, bohemian vibe — and something extra-special in the backyard.

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Amber Hayes has been living in Nashville for the past 15 years, pursuing a career in music. A second job brings her to Mississippi frequently, and now she's ready for Erin and Ben to help her find the ideal small-town home. Prior to moving to Nashville, Amber grew up in a tiny town in Oklahoma. "Like 900 people, no stoplight, no stop sign," she says. "I loved being from a small town."

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Ben and Erin Napier (L) with new homeowner Amber Hayes (R) in Amber's newly renovated kitchen.
Amber's wish list includes a historic home with a space for entertaining and a spa-like master bath. "My budget all-in is $140,000," she says, "and I feel like I can get exactly what I want and go a long way with that compared to what I could do in Nashville." The home candidates Erin and Ben come up with this time around include two markedly different houses.
I really want a great front porch where I can sit out with my dog and drink my coffee ... a place where I can come and chill after work ... a place where I could write or that's great for entertaining if I wanted to do house concerts.Amber Hayes, homeowner
The Lenoir House, built in the 1920s, is close to downtown and comes with a large front porch and a beautiful magnolia tree in the front yard. The backyard is a different story — with multiple levels of rotting deck and jungle of underbrush. The Boehm House, built in the 1930s, was formerly owned by one of the town's residents who, himself, did a lot of entertaining. It has a large living room that's ideal for parties and might even accommodate a small performance space. There's also an adjacent sunroom that could work as an inspiring creative space for a songwriter. Drawbacks include a bland exterior and an almost non-existent kitchen.
Once Amber makes her selection, the renovation gets underway with major changes inside and out. On the inside, a wall is are removed to open the kitchen onto an adjacent dining room.

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A bathroom gets an amazing makeover with ornately patterned accent tile and a century-old clawfoot tub. The tub was purchased at a flea market in Hattiesburg, Miss., and professionally re-porcelained.

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For the living room, Ben handcrafts a custom coffee table using a glass-front cabinet removed during the kitchen demo. The top is made from pine lumber salvaged from removal of the dining room wall.

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In the backyard, a deck and pergola is added with outdoor seating, dining space and cypress wood benches custom-built by Ben (with some assembly assistance from Erin). The raised deck can serve double duty as a stage, creating a backyard performance venue where Amber can host house concerts.

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Speaking of which, watch closely in this particular episode to discover yet another of Erin's many hidden talents, one that's heretofore gone unrevealed in this series.

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This is not a character from the new Twin Peaks. Relax. It's just "Big" Ben Napier. And friend.
The Home Town episode “Country Singer Moves From the Big City to a Small Town” premieres May 23 at 10p|9c. Be sure to check back here to see the full makeover, additional web-exclusive videos and lots more.