The aptly named Hinge helps modern craftsmen tap potential patrons, and interior designers commission the talent to satisfy their clients’ demands.

The site’s design imparts a crisp elegance to Hinge's brand, but leaves room for the inspired and clever whimsy that epitomizes personalized spaces in the modern world. The site lures users to purchase, but makes sure they have a fun, guided experience while doing so. 

Amid the grey hues and serif fonts, an icon of a loading truck denotes the “cart,” a search bar fades in when users click “search," and textual elements slowly come into focus—visualizing a yearning for unattainable objects that finally materialize. To convey each item’s unique quality, the artist's name appears alongside the price, which links to their biography and photos of their most recent work, pulled automatically from the database. 

To build a community from Chicago’s local talent, forms pepper the site to encourage the flow of requests and retrievals from person to person. The Scour section allows users to submit descriptions or photos of items they seek but cannot find. Hinge receives this message and disperses it to trusted pickers or dealers who carry out the task. Additionally, users can request custom-built designs for the ready-made wares online. To grow Hinge’s talent pool, a separate form under “Connect” allows users to submit their work samples and resumes to be considered for hire.

Hinge maintains a visibly active role in the community with its multi-user blog and newsletter updates about local design events around the city.

Design professionals comprise a large portion of Hinge’s clients. To accommodate their needs, each product automatically generates a “tear sheet” with technical specifications and photos. Additionally, the site’s registration process includes a method of verifying professional license numbers that, once approved, unlocks discounted prices for those who qualify.

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