Sitting at the long wooden table in the classy kitchen of the historic Betsy Searle Place in Francestown, Sorrell and Jeff Downing chatted about their long-time home, recounting the evolution of the space and the responsibility they feel to preserve and maintain its original elements. Their friendly dog Ellie trotted between them, accepting pets and wagging her fluffy tail. “These cabinets,” Sorrell pointed at the wall with textured wallpaper up above the black soapstone sink. The light grey-blue shelves were neatly lined with sets of pretty glassware, plates, and bowls. “We took the doors off but we never changed them.”
“You were ahead of your time,” replied realtor Sadie Halliday, open shelving is, after all, very trendy.
Sorrell, born and raised in Connecticut, had originally moved into a house facing the Betsy Searle Place on the other side of Main Street. She said, “I would sit on [that] porch looking at this house; I loved it.” After a few years she crossed the street and has lived in the historic home at 136 Main St., for more than 20 years. She and her husband have raised their nine children in the old home and have made a conscious effort to keep the many historic elements preserved and highlighted. The house is on the historic registrar and much-loved by the community who cares deeply about the town’s architectural history. The house was built in the early 1800s; the front part is the original brick and clapboard structure, beautifully preserved. The house maintains its historic feel, the unique designs around each fireplace and bold woodworking give us glimpses into the past, but the space is also well kept and healthy. It feels alive and concrete. Standing in the dining room overlooking Main Street, one is transported to a past century, almost able to see what Francestown was like back when first owner and namesake, Betsy Searle, lived in the fashionable downtown home.
In the 1960s an addition was installed to the back of the original structure, adding what is now the kitchen and a back staircase, and increasing the size of the second floor. Today, both parts flow together naturally, old and new connected.
In the dining room at the front of the house, there’s an old fireplace next to an antique dining table. There’s a sturdiness about the space. The glass in the windows is the original glass, and has the signature 19th century ripple. Standing next to one of the two windows facing the street in that room, Jeff spread his hand across the shutter width between the wall and window panes, spanning about half a foot. The rooms are are warm and tastefully decorated. The front stairs have painted wood-carved curving accents running up the side, adding a delicate and unusual touch. There are 4 functional fireplaces, and the wide-board tamarack pine floors, once painted dark, are now natural and bright.
On the other side of the front staircase one enters the “blue room,” a section aptly named for its color scheme. Above the fireplace is a portrait of a young man wearing a dark blue uniform against a black background. According to the Downings, he is Sorrell’s grandfather, a Russian prince who had to flee the country as a child during the Romanov regime, ending up in France, then eventually the U.S. where he met Sorrell’s grandmother, who had strong ties to the Monadnock Region, and they started a family. Across the room is a piano and a row of violins mounted up on the wall. The Downing’s children are musicians.
Upstairs are the bedrooms and a workout room with a slightly slanting ceiling. The rooms are cozy, clean, and uncluttered. The furniture and decorations fit seamlessly with the character of the space. And Sorrell knows a thing or two about decor. She owns a business planning and designing weddings and events after all.
In the back of the house there’s a patio area overlooking a grassy three acres to the stone wall at the back of the property. Nearby is a red barn with two giant painted white horse heads facing each other on adjacent panels. Sorrell said there’s a plan for the barn roof to be fitted with solar panels, perhaps a project for future owners.
Because now the Downings are getting ready to sell the house and part with their beloved home.
“I’ve already gone through my stages of grief,” said Sorrell.
It is vital to her that the next owners truly love the space. “It’s a special house in a special village in a quaint town in New Hampshire,” she said. “I want somebody to love it, not flip it.”
The Downings reminisced about the furniture surrounding them, a variety of antiques and interesting pieces. Gesturing around the space, Jeff said, “We have it to where we like it, now it’s time to pass the baton.”