Home Town Kickstart: The Homes

Check out before-and-after pics and amazing home transformations — all in small-town settings — from HGTV's new Home Town spinoff series, Home Town Kickstart.

By: David L. Haynes

Show: Home Town Kickstart Presented by PEOPLE

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Photo By: Peter Wynn Thompson / Getty Images

Photo By: Peter Wynn Thompson / Getty Images

Photo By: Peter Wynn Thompson / Getty Images

Photo By: Production Photographer

Photo By: Peter Wynn Thompson

Photo By: Peter Wynn Thompson / Getty Images

Photo By: Production Photographer

Photo By: Peter Wynn Thompson

Photo By: Peter Wynn Thompson

Photo By: Peter Wynn Thompson

Photo By: Peter Wynn Thompson

Photo By: Peter Wynn Thompson

Photo By: Peter Wynn Thompson

Photo By: Production Photographer

Photo By: Peter Wynn Thompson

Photo By: Peter Wynn Thompson

Photo By: Production Photographer

Photo By: Peter Wynn Thompson

Photo By: Peter Wynn Thompson

Photo By: Peter Wynn Thompson

Photo By: Peter Wynn Thompson

Photo By: Production Photographer

Photo By: Peter Wynn Thompson

Photo By: Peter Wynn Thompson

Photo By: Peter Wynn Thompson

Photo By: Peter Wynn Thompson / Getty Images

Photo By: Peter Wynn Thompson / Getty Images

Home Town Kickstart: A Boost for Buffalo

For the premiere episode of HGTV's Home Town Kickstart, Jasmine Roth and Ty Pennington launch the 'Kickstart' movement in Buffalo, Wyoming — expanding the original Home Town initiative made famous by HGTV stars and Laurel, MS natives Ben and Erin Napier.

Erin and Ben have been revitalizing the homes and community of their native Laurel, Mississippi for six seasons as part of the original Home Town series. Then in 2021 they took their considerable creative and renovation talents on the road, helping restore properties and homes in the small Southern city of Wetumpka, Alabama — as documented in the HGTV series Home Town Takeover. Now, in the third and latest TV series in the Home Town franchise, other members of the HGTV family get in on the small-town zeitgeist — bringing inspiration and practical know-how to small communities around the US.

Ty Pennington and and Jasmine Roth get things off to a great start, revitalizing the town of Buffalo's only movie theater, partnering with a local artist to create an eye-catching downtown attraction and, as documented in this gallery, restoring a town-hero's charming home. Here designer and co-host Ty Pennington exudes his trademark enthusiasm, proudly showing off the new mural that's a key element in this hometown enhancement.

A Boost for Buffalo: The Crane Project

HGTV project leads for Kickstart's Buffalo, WY project, Jasmine Roth and Ty Pennington, renovated this home of Leishaan and Harper Crane. Leishann is an ER tech at a local hospital, a single mom, combat veteran and one of Buffalo's true hometown heroes.

A Boost for Buffalo: The Crane Project

Jasmine puts some finishing touches on the newly renovated home of Buffalo native Leishaan Crane. "Leishaan is a single mother to teen daughter, Harper, and she's so devoted to Buffalo," says Jasmine. "She's what this town is all about."

"Leishaan leads a life of service to others and we want her to have a proper place to work on her nursing studies," Jasmine continues. "She's also dedicated to Buffalo's veteran community and wants to make her home a gathering spot for her fellow vets who have given so much."

A Boost for Buffalo: The Crane Project

Home Exterior, Before. Leishaan thinks of this cute cottage as her personal dream home, though it could use some basic repairs, modern updates and more efficiently designed interior spaces. A key objective is to make the home better suited to entertaining.

A Boost for Buffalo: The Crane Project

Home Exterior, After. The exterior renovation retains and enhances the gable design and replaces the outdated assortment of windows along the front with a single picture window that's a better match for the single. The exterior palette replaces the pale yellow paint with crisp white, offset by a contrasting trim and shutters, and a bold orange front door. Other enhancements to the exterior include all new siding, fresh landscaping and a distinctive design for the front gable that incorporates "fish-scale" shingles in contrasting shades.

A Boost for Buffalo: The Crane Project

Demo Day. Ty gets the Crane home renovation underway with demo of the outdated kitchen.

A Boost for Buffalo: The Crane Project

Kitchen, Before. For the size of this home, the kitchen is relatively large and spacious, though, with its aging appliances, laminate countertops and tile floor, looks somewhat dated and drab.

A Boost for Buffalo: The Crane Project

Kitchen, After. Jasmine's design concept for the kitchen retains some of the home's traditional country-cottage feel, but updates the space with modern appliances, a much brighter palette and tasteful use of color accents.

A Boost for Buffalo: The Crane Project

Kitchen, After. The kitchen, as well as the rest of the interior spaces, get new hardwood flooring throughout. "The new floor, I think, makes the biggest difference," says Jasmine. "Being able to have the same floor throughout the house makes it feel really cohesive from a design standpoint. It's giving us that base that we need."

A Boost for Buffalo: The Crane Project

Kitchen, After. Other new kitchen highlights include glass-front upper cabinets, lower wood cabinets painted in muted blue, white quartz countertops, an over-the-sink pendant light, colorful area rug and new stainless appliances.

A Boost for Buffalo: The Crane Project

Kitchen, detail. The new inset cabinetry was custom created by a local cabinet company. It also features stylized contemporary hardware.

A Boost for Buffalo: The Crane Project

Kitchen, detail. A dual-power range, modern vent hood, new hand-painted (by Jasmine) backsplash and open shelving help make for what Leishaan calls her dream kitchen.

A Boost for Buffalo: The Crane Project

Kitchen, detail. A farmhouse style hutch, painted dark blue-gray and with wainscot back-panel, is added where the kitchen work-desk had been — while a separate custom work nook is newly created in the adjacent space.

A Boost for Buffalo: The Crane Project

Living Room, Before. The living room, prior to the renovation, is a crowded and multi-use family space — functioning in part as an ad hoc space for eating since there's currently no dedicated dining room. "I would love to have something here where we can sit down and it's cozy," says Leishaan.

A Boost for Buffalo: The Crane Project

Living Room, After. The redesigned living room includes the new hardwood flooring, framed art, new window treatments and contemporary furnishings — all combining to create a softer, lighter motif that immediately feels comfortable. "It's a totally different vibe," says Jasmine. "We wanted to make it more modern, but also make it feel more inviting."

A Boost for Buffalo: The Crane Project

Living Room, detail.

A Boost for Buffalo: The Crane Project

Living Room, Before.

A Boost for Buffalo: The Crane Project

Living Room, After. The new living room design and decor provides a brighter, fresher feel and more open space for entertaining. "It is amazing," said Leishaan, "It just feels really homey and comfortable."

A Boost for Buffalo: The Crane Project

Living Room, detail. This versatile side table is a drop-leaf design so that, when needed, it can also be expanded for use as a dining table.

A Boost for Buffalo: The Crane Project

Living Room, detail. The living space now incorporates a custom desk and workstation with an affixed live-edge wood tabletop that was specially created by local craftsman, blacksmith — and Leishaan's father — David Omundson. Decorative items in the dedicated workspace include mementos and photographs from Leishaan's time in the military.

A Boost for Buffalo: The Crane Project

Living Room, After.

A Boost for Buffalo: The Crane Project

Main Bedroom, Before. Leishaan's bedroom is awkwardly placed at the front of the house, and includes an exterior door — not an ideal setting for a private bedroom. But Jasmine and Ty have some ideas for re-working the space that will both redefine the look and provide improved privacy and comfort.

A Boost for Buffalo: The Crane Project

Main Bedroom, After. In terms of structural changes, the newly redesigned bedroom gets a new dividing wall for added privacy, new door and completely redesigned windows.

A Boost for Buffalo: The Crane Project

Main Bedroom, After. The remodeled bedroom now features a sliding pocket-door entry, new window treatments and a brighter, fresher color palette.

A Boost for Buffalo: The Crane Project

Main Bedroom, detail.

A Boost for Buffalo: The Crane Project

The Reveal. Leishaan Crane and her daughter get their first look at their newly remodeled kitchen. "I am so grateful for everybody that has contributed," says Leishaan. "I am so humbled."

A Boost for Buffalo: The Crane Project

Magic Moments. "We were here in Buffalo and searching for that small-town magic," says Jasmine, "and we found it here real quick."

"I don't think we'll ever forget our time in Buffalo," adds Ty. "It's been incredible."

Editor's Note: Keep checking back here for updates to this gallery featuring more Home Town Kickstart home renovations.

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