A Family Homecoming

Three grown siblings scoop up a 1900 Victorian in their hometown of Laurel, Mississippi, and tap (who else?) local celebs Ben and Erin Napier to help restore it

-  Kelly Allen

LEAVING YOUR small town to pursue your dreams is a classic move—but returning home can be even more fulfilling. After an upbringing in Laurel, Mississippi, three dispersed siblings found themselves craving a home base closer to their father, where their kids could experience the community that shaped them. Together, they purchased a crumbling Victorian house built in 1900 for a price befitting its disheveled state: $14,000.

The building needed a major overhaul—not just to make it livable, but to amplify its historic charm and make it functional for large family gatherings. So the siblings called on the best game around to resurrect the property: Ben and Erin Napier, the renovation wunderkinds (and famous locals) behind HGTV’s hit show Home Town.

Spanning 2,000 square feet, the two-bedroom, two- bathroom home had been neglected for many years. The foundation, siding, and flooring were all rotted. Dilapidated front steps, peeling wallpaper, and a dank kitchen rounded things out. “We honestly were thinking that someone would, one day, buy it and tear it down,” Ben says, noting that would’ve been “a shame because Laurel doesn’t have a big collection of Victorians.”