Set in the heart of the Fenway neighborhood in Boston, Massachusetts, and opened in July 2014, The Verb Hotel is a two-story, 93-room, 35,000-square-foot boutique hotel that embodies an exuberant celebration of the fabled rock culture of the Fenway in the 1960s. Quirky, irreverent, and more than a little tongue-in-cheek, The Verb is an important part of the decade-long revitalization of this historic part of Boston.
The original structure, opened in 1959 next door to legendary Fenway Park, home to America’s Boston Red Sox, a professional baseball team, was a classic mid-century America motel that embodied the styles and trends of that era. The footprint of the building created a private courtyard pool for guests. As the rock music culture emerged in the neighborhood in the '60s, the motel became a legendary party spot for bands and their fans. Years later, the neighborhood went into decline and the motel with it.
The design objective was to build on the legacy of the motelby restoring and enhancing it to create a vibrant 21st-century destination inspired by the classic mid-century original. Design of the project included the restoration of the historic building that now houses The Verb – formerly a Howard Johnson’s Motor Lodge – as well as design of the hotel’s interiors and furniture.
The result can be summed up as “the rock heyday of the Fenway re-imagined for today’s hotel guest.” The Verb’s aesthetic has a playful sense of humor throughout – it’s a little provocative, a little nostalgic, and a lot hip. Rock ‘n’ roll references mix with classic mid-century furnishings and retro elements reworked for a contemporary vibe. All is inspired by historic mid-century color palettes and materials, and deliberately avoids a sense of polish. Mid-century-inspired lighting fixtures provide multiple scene options;furnishings celebrate the mid-century aesthetic with a light hand and a contemporary turn.
Throughout the hotel, signage and graphics are unexpected and impudent, employing black-and-white vintage photos of partying hipsters and witty references to invoke the feel and spirit of the culture that the hotel celebrates, while also setting the stage for today’s Instagrammable moments.
By embracing the eccentric qualities of the hotel and its small-scale massing, the team recreated and enhanced the character and charm of this mid-century treasure with a contemporary twist. The new hotel feels like an oasis in the midst of the Fenway’s dense urban environment. Arriving adults smile and travel down memory lane when greeted with the rock memorabilia and retro design; children light up upon glimpsing the pool and Fenway Park as the hotel’s back.
Material Used :
Amenities
Architectural materials (millwork, etc)
Millwork: Bed, dresser, desk, wardrobe closet, and vanity – Inspired by mid-century modern furniture design, custom-designed by Elkus Manfredi Architects and manufactured by Formica
Art & Accessories
Guestroom: Front covers and inside feature pages of The Boston Phoenixarchives
Lobby: David Bieber, owner of the David Bieber Archives, curated the lobby gallery archive
Frames: Stanhope Framers (Boston, MA)
Picture lights: Lumens(Sacramento, CA)
Stairwells: Jonathan Adler ceiling light pendants (Boston, MA)
Bath & Spa (bath fixtures, plumbing, accessories)
Shower: Symmons Taps (Braintree, MA)/Faucets: Kohler (Kohler, WI)
Bathroom tile: Dal Tile (Woburn, MA), Rittenhouse
Bathroom sink
tiletop: Silestone (Sugar Land, TX)
Bathroom Flooring: Dal Tile (Woburn, MA), Plaza Nova
Electrified mirrors: Seura (Green Bay, WI)
Beds/Bedding
Bed: Custom designed by Elkus Manfredi Architects and manufactured by Artco (Canton, MA)
Carpet & Rugs
Carpet: Custom pinstripe guestroom and corridor carpet designed by Elkus Manfredi Architects and manufactured by Merit, a division of Durkan(Dalton, GA)
Fabrics
Lobby:
Accent pillow: Harmony Contract (Braintree, MA) with assorted fabric from Glant (Seattle, WA), Bretano (Wheeling, IL), Maharam (New York, NY), Perennials Outdoor Fabrics (Dallas, TX), Opuzen (Los Angeles, CA), and Edelman (Boston, MA)
Guestroom:
Pillow fabric – Arc Com Fabric
Flooring (other than carpeting)
Tile: DalTile (Woburn, MA)
Lobby floors: Mondo (Conshohocken, PA)
Furniture, Casegoods
Case goods: Bed, dresser, desk, wardrobe closet, and vanity – Inspired by mid-century modern furniture design, custom-designed by Elkus Manfredi Architects and manufactured by Formica
Furniture, Casual/Outdoor
Furniture/Seating
Guestroom: Upholstered sofa and upholstered chair by Vogel (Lockhart, TX), fabric by Fabricut (Tulsa, OK)
Lobby: Knoll Risom lounge chairs designed by Jens Risom in 1943 – Design Within Reach (Boston, MA)
In-room chairs: Desk chair – armless Setu side chair by Herman Miller (Zeeland, MI)
Furniture, Tables
Lobby:
Banquette – Custom-designed by Elkus Manfredi Architects and manufactured by Harmony Contract Furniture (Braintree, MA) with leather by Elmosoft (High Point, NC)
Upholstered record
bar – Custom-designed by Elkus Manfredi Architects and manufactured by Harmony Contract Furniture (Braintree, MA);fabric by Joseph Noble (Dallas, TX); granite countertop in Absolute Black
Triangular Island
side tables – Manufactured by Calligaris (New York, NY)
In-room desks: Designed by Elkus Manfredi Architects and manufactured by Artco (Canton, MA)
Lighting
Lobby: Ceiling light pendant by Delightfull(Rio Tinto, Portugal)
Stairwells: Jonathan Adler (Boston, MA) ceiling light pendants
Pool accent lights: Globe Portable LED lamp in two sizes, designed by Smart & Green (Miami, FL), from Design Within Reach (Boston, MA)
Guestrooms: Saucer ceiling light pendant – Modernica (Los Angeles, CA)
Ceiling light pendant above vanity – Drop 1, from Design Within Reach (Boston, MA)
Cigar table lamp fixtures designed by George Nelson in 1947, currently manufactured by Design Within Reach (Boston, MA)
Surfacing Materials
Guestroom:
Formica laminates – Oiled Olivewood
Metal wall panels – MIW Corp (Fall River, MA)
Mirrors – P.I. Fine Art (Toronto, Ontario)
Sustainable & Green
Technology & Electronics
Wallcoverings
Paint: Sherwin Williams (Cambridge, MA)
Other: Metal Wall Panels: MIW Corp(Fall River, MA)
Window Treatments
Architectural glass – Cardinal, PPG (Eden Prairie, MN)
