diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 4d29575..eecc05b 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -21,3 +21,5 @@
 npm-debug.log*
 yarn-debug.log*
 yarn-error.log*
+
+.idea/
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 4452d8e..9a8ba9b 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
     "react": "^17.0.2",
     "react-dom": "^17.0.2",
     "react-scripts": "4.0.3",
+    "recoil": "^0.5.2",
     "typescript": "^4.1.2",
     "web-vitals": "^1.0.1"
   },
diff --git a/src/hooks/useContract/useContract.ts b/src/hooks/useContract/useContract.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3beb5a3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/hooks/useContract/useContract.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+import { useEffect, useState } from "react";
+import {ContractInterface, ethers} from "ethers";
+import {useRecoilValue} from "recoil";
+import {isMetamaskConnectedTypeGuard, metamaskState} from "../useMetamask/types";
+
+/**
+ * A hook to engage with any contract (can be used outright, or as the base to compose other contract-specific hooks)
+ * - returned value will be undefined until the user connects their wallet via metamask
+ * @param address the blockchain address of the contract
+ * @param abi the contract abi (can be partial)
+ *
+ */
+export const useContract = (address: string, abi: ContractInterface) => {
+    const [contract, setContract] = useState<ethers.Contract | undefined>(
+        undefined
+    );
+
+    const metamaskState = useRecoilValue(metamaskState)
+
+    useEffect(() => {
+        if (isMetamaskConnectedTypeGuard(metamaskState)) {
+            const {provider, signer} = metamaskState;
+            const c = new ethers.Contract(address, abi, provider);
+            const contractWithSigner = c.connect(signer!);
+            setContract(contractWithSigner);
+        }
+    }, [metamaskState]);
+
+    return contract
+};
diff --git a/src/hooks/useMetamask/types.ts b/src/hooks/useMetamask/types.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3e7f095
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/hooks/useMetamask/types.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+import {atom} from 'recoil';
+import {ethers} from 'ethers';
+import {AllMandatory} from "../../utilities/types";
+
+export type MetamaskState = {
+    provider?: ethers.providers.Web3Provider;
+    signer?: ethers.providers.JsonRpcSigner;
+    account?: string;
+};
+
+type MetamaskIsConnected = AllMandatory<MetamaskState>; // the state when user is connected
+
+/**
+ * A Typeguard to allow using state properties without optional-chaining or multiple if/else
+ * @param state the whole state object from metamaskState
+ */
+export const isMetamaskConnectedTypeGuard = (state: MetamaskState | MetamaskIsConnected): state is MetamaskIsConnected =>
+    !!state.provider && !!state.signer && !!state.account
+
+export const metamaskState = atom<MetamaskState | MetamaskIsConnected>({
+    key: 'metamaskState',
+    dangerouslyAllowMutability: true,
+    default: {
+        provider: undefined,
+        signer: undefined,
+        account: undefined,
+    },
+});
diff --git a/src/hooks/useMetamask/useMetamask.ts b/src/hooks/useMetamask/useMetamask.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5f51231
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/hooks/useMetamask/useMetamask.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+import { useRecoilState} from 'recoil';
+import {ethers, providers} from 'ethers';
+import {isMetamaskConnectedTypeGuard, metamaskState} from "./types";
+
+// ethereum isn't on TS standard Window type:
+declare const window: Window & {
+    ethereum: providers.ExternalProvider;
+}
+
+/**
+ * A hook to provide Metamask's 'connect' function anywhere, and give global access to the
+ * returned values (user's account, provider, signer).
+ * - As this uses recoil state, consumers only concerned about the raw state values (and not connect) can simply use
+ *   useRecoilValue(metamaskState) instead of this hook
+ */
+export const useMetamask = () => {
+    const [state, setState] = useRecoilState(metamaskState);
+
+    const connect = async () => {
+        const provider = new ethers.providers.Web3Provider(window.ethereum, 'any');
+        await provider.send('eth_requestAccounts', []);
+
+        provider.on('network', (_, oldNetwork) => {
+            oldNetwork && window.location.reload(); // might want to change this to render UI
+        });
+
+        const signer = provider.getSigner();
+        const account = await signer.getAddress();
+        setState(() => ({provider, signer, account}));
+    };
+
+    return {
+        ...state,
+        connect,
+        isConnected: isMetamaskConnectedTypeGuard(state) // CAUTION: isConnected is not a type-guard
+    };
+};
+
+
+
diff --git a/src/utilities/types.ts b/src/utilities/types.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ab262c9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/utilities/types.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+
+
+export type AllMandatory<T> = {
+    [Property in keyof T]-?: T[Property]
+}
diff --git a/yarn.lock b/yarn.lock
index bfaadad..9d75d0d 100644
--- a/yarn.lock
+++ b/yarn.lock
@@ -5760,6 +5760,11 @@ gzip-size@5.1.1:
     duplexer "^0.1.1"
     pify "^4.0.1"
 
+hamt_plus@1.0.2:
+  version "1.0.2"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/hamt_plus/-/hamt_plus-1.0.2.tgz#e21c252968c7e33b20f6a1b094cd85787a265601"
+  integrity sha1-4hwlKWjH4zsg9qGwlM2FeHomVgE=
+
 handle-thing@^2.0.0:
   version "2.0.1"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/handle-thing/-/handle-thing-2.0.1.tgz#857f79ce359580c340d43081cc648970d0bb234e"
@@ -9621,6 +9626,13 @@ readdirp@~3.5.0:
   dependencies:
     picomatch "^2.2.1"
 
+recoil@^0.5.2:
+  version "0.5.2"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/recoil/-/recoil-0.5.2.tgz#61fecce3b4dc91127a595586cf7369e2811ba024"
+  integrity sha512-Edibzpu3dbUMLy6QRg73WL8dvMl9Xqhp+kU+f2sJtXxsaXvAlxU/GcnDE8HXPkprXrhHF2e6SZozptNvjNF5fw==
+  dependencies:
+    hamt_plus "1.0.2"
+
 recursive-readdir@2.2.2:
   version "2.2.2"
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/recursive-readdir/-/recursive-readdir-2.2.2.tgz#9946fb3274e1628de6e36b2f6714953b4845094f"