HGTV's Ben And Erin Napier Think This Unlikely Activity Reveals The Truth About Any Marriage
Alongside charming, southern-infused home renovations, fans of "Home Town" get a glimpse into the heartwarming romance of HGTV hosts Ben and Erin Napier when watching the show. The Mississippi duo makes working with your spouse look easy, especially with the adorable couple moments Ben and Erin have shared over the years.
Even so, a lighthearted teaser shared by HGTV shows the Napiers attempting a decorating activity, one that they've likely encountered time and time again, that they say will put any marriage to the test. "You know they say the true test of a marriage is painting a room together," Ben said in the Instagram clip. "We like to say..." — "no, it's hanging curtains," Erin continued. The teaser, which comes from Season 8, shows the couple struggling to hang outdoor curtains in one of their renovations.
"It's backwards," Ben says as they try to put up the curtains and attach the rod. Erin lightheartedly exclaims, "No! No!" and then adds another "No!" as a tool goes clattering to the concrete. However, with a bit more wrangling, the Napiers eventually set their porch scene to rights. "If you can do it without a cuss out, you're gonna make it," Erin explained about the task. Then the two added in unison, "You can get through anything."
Erin and Ben explain the curtain-marriage test
While Erin and Ben Napier mention the curtain test in Season 8 of "Home Town," it's not the first time that the couple has mentioned the trying activity. In a "Build Series" interview from 2020, the Napiers gave a little more perspective on the challenging aspects of drape hanging. "Somebody's got to be watching and somebody's got to do the doing," Erin explained.
Ben weighed in with his insight on the chore, speaking from the couple's unique experience. "They have to be level," he said. "But what's level is open to interpretation if you're married to an artist. So, it's like what looks right." If you're not familiar with what Erin and Ben Napier did before becoming HGTV stars, the couple actually ran a stationery business, with Erin utilizing her degree in graphic design.
From there, the interior designer mimicked what one of their curtain-hanging conversations would be like. "Him saying, 'I cannot hold this any longer. Just pick: Where do you want it to be?'" Erin said in a slightly lower voice than normal. "'Doesn't look level.'" Returning to her normal voice, the renovator parroted her own line in the conversation, adding, "It's level! I'm telling you it's level."
The Napiers shared their key to a happy marriage
Even Ben and Erin Napier, who have admitted that they hate being separated, aren't immune to occasional couple spats and disagreements. While the curtain-hanging test may be a testament to their marriage, the strength of their relationship doesn't come without work. In an interview with Qolture, the HGTV stars revealed how they keep their marriage strong, a tip we imagine works well when it comes to draperies, too.
"Communication," Erin said when asked about the key to a successful marriage. "We're together 24 hours a day because we feel like the strongest team that way." As both a professional, romantic, and familial team, effective dialogue is essential for the Napiers, a sentiment that Ben echoed. "We are in perfect conversation with each other — we communicate about every little detail of our lives," he said. "Talking about everything and prayer are the glue in our marriage."
So, if you're planning to put the Napiers' curtain hanging theory to the test, make sure you also take a page out of their playbook and practice some effective communication with your significant other.