Tech as Comfort, Not Function

Real technology is demanding. It needs updates, charging, passwords, attention. It judges you with unread notifications and dead batteries. It’s competent and cold.

Soft machinery is technology freed from function. It’s buttons you can press that do nothing but feel satisfying. Wires that go nowhere but look intricate. Screens that display permanent comfort messages. Circuits that exist purely as visual texture.

This is tech as emotional object: cozy, nostalgic, decorative, meaningless in the best way. It asks nothing of you. It just exists, tech-shaped, doing the only thing it needs to do—looking like technology while feeling like a hug.

Why We Need Soft Machinery

The Emotional Exhaustion of Real Tech

Real technology:

  • ❌ Demands constant engagement
  • ❌ Becomes obsolete, requires replacement
  • ❌ Connects you to everything, all the time
  • ❌ Generates anxiety (notifications, updates, breaking)
  • ❌ Impersonal, mass-manufactured, disposable
  • ❌ Judges your usage, tracks your behavior

Soft machinery:

  • ✓ Demands nothing
  • ✓ Never obsolete, never needs updates
  • ✓ Connects you to feelings, not networks
  • ✓ Generates comfort (tactile, visual, nostalgic)
  • ✓ Personal, handmade, precious
  • ✓ Accepts you as you are

Nostalgia for Analog

Soft machinery often references:

  • Old tech aesthetics (nixie tubes, analog dials, chunky buttons)
  • Before screens dominated (physical controls, tangible feedback)
  • When tech was novel (exciting, not exhausting)
  • Repairable era (visible components, understandable)
  • Pre-smart everything (things that just do one thing, forever)

Making the Harsh Soft

Taking technology’s visual language—circuits, wires, screens, industrial materials—and translating it into:

  • Soft textiles (embroidered circuits, felted wires)
  • Warm materials (wood, brass, natural fibers)
  • Handmade craftsmanship (visible human touch)
  • Cozy scale (small, holdable, desk-sized)
  • Permanent, reassuring states (the screen always says you’re okay)

The Aesthetic Language of Soft Machinery

Visual Elements That Read as “Tech”

Element Real Tech Purpose Soft Machinery Purpose How to Fake It
Buttons Input, control Tactile satisfaction, visual rhythm Polymer clay, wood discs, actual buttons
Switches On/off, mode change Clickiness, fidget value Toggle switches, sliders (functional or decorative)
Wires Connection, power Visual complexity, handmade feel Colored wire, embroidery, felt strips
Circuits Function pathways Pattern, maze-like beauty Draw/etch/embroider circuit patterns
Screens Display, interface Permanent message, mood window Paper/resin “screen” with fixed display
LEDs/Lights Indicator, illumination Gentle glow, night-light comfort Real LEDs, resin “lights”, glow paint
Dials/Meters Measurement, adjustment Analog beauty, physical feedback Print/build with stuck needle or playful reading
Vents/Grids Cooling, speaker output Industrial texture, geometric pattern Embossed, cut, layered materials
Labels/Text Instruction, branding Personality, humor, comfort Hand-lettering, vintage label aesthetic
Patina/Wear Age, use Nostalgia, history, reliability Weathering techniques on fake tech

Color Palettes for Soft Machinery

Cozy Industrial:

  • Warm brass, copper, bronze
  • Natural wood tones
  • Cream, ivory, soft white
  • Dusty blue-gray, sage green
  • Amber lighting

Nostalgic Tech:

  • Beige/cream of old computers
  • Faded primary colors (80s/90s)
  • Yellowed plastic warmth
  • Orange glow (nixie tube aesthetic)
  • Teal and coral (retro-futurism)

Bedroom Technology:

  • Soft pastels with tech elements
  • Baby pink circuits, mint green wires
  • Lavender screens, peach buttons
  • White with natural wood accents
  • Gentle LED amber or warm white

Cottagecore Circuits:

  • Forest green circuit boards
  • Brass and botanical together
  • Pressed flowers under resin “screens”
  • Moss + electronics aesthetic
  • Natural materials meeting tech

Materials and Techniques

Buttons, Switches, and Tactile Elements

Why buttons matter in soft machinery:

  • Pressing buttons is satisfying (real feedback)
  • Visual rhythm (grid of buttons = tech aesthetic)
  • Color variation (each button can be different)
  • Invitation to interact (touch-friendly)

Button Sources and Making:

Material Pros Cons Best For
Polymer clay Custom colors, any size, bake-able Time to make many Unique shapes, specific palettes
Wood discs Natural, warm, sand-able Limited colors without paint Cottagecore machinery
Actual buttons Ready-made, various styles, cheap Finding matches Quick projects, eclectic look
3D printed Precise, reproducible Needs equipment Matching sets, specific shapes
Resin cast Crystal-clear or colorful, embedments Requires molds Jewel-like buttons, embedded objects
Metal Industrial feel, cold/heavy Hard to source in small sizes Steampunk, industrial

Switches and Toggles:

  • Real hardware store switches: Functional, clickable, authentic
  • Miniature toggles: From model trains, electronics suppliers
  • Carved/sculpted: Non-functional but visually correct
  • Mixed: Some real (satisfying click), some fake (decoration)

Dials and Knobs:

  • Potentiometer knobs: Electronics stores, many styles
  • Wooden knobs: Furniture stores, can be tiny
  • Polymer clay: Sculpt, bake, add lines/numbers
  • Brass fittings: Industrial/steampunk aesthetic

Wires and Circuits

Creating Convincing Wiring:

Real Wire (Non-Functional):

  • Colored insulated wire from electronics stores
  • Wrap, coil, create visual complexity
  • Doesn’t connect to anything, just looks intricate
  • Use wire of different gauges for variety
  • Create wire bundles, split paths, decorative loops

Embroidered Circuits:

  • Stitch circuit-like patterns on fabric/leather
  • Use metallic embroidery floss for shine
  • Add seed beads as components
  • Create wearable or soft-sculpture tech

Painted/Drawn Circuits:

  • Copper or silver paint pens
  • Draw on wood, plastic, paper
  • Follow real circuit board aesthetics
  • Add “components” (beads, clay, washers)

Felt/Textile Wires:

  • Felt strips as chunky wires
  • Embroidered or painted paths on fabric
  • Soft sculpture approach
  • Very cozy aesthetic

Circuit Board Aesthetic:

  • Study real PCBs for pattern reference
  • Simplified geometric paths
  • Circular pads where components connect
  • Green is traditional, but try other colors for soft machinery

Screens and Displays

Creating Static “Screens”:

Method 1: Paper Under Resin/Glass

  • Design screen display on paper/cardstock
  • Add graphics, text, pixel art
  • Seal under resin or glass
  • Looks like frozen screen (comforting permanence)

Method 2: LED Backlit

  • Create screen frame (wood, plastic)
  • Paper or vellum screen with design
  • LED strip behind for glow
  • Warm or colored light

Method 3: E-Ink Permanence

  • Actual e-ink display showing single permanent image
  • Set it, seal it, never change it
  • True electronic but static comfort

Method 4: Painted/Printed

  • Paint directly on wood/plastic
  • Weathered screen aesthetic
  • Low-tech, fully fake

Screen Messages/Content:

  • Comforting permanence: “Everything is okay,” “You’re doing fine,” “No updates needed”
  • Analog data: Simple bar graph, heart rate, single number
  • Retro visuals: Pixel art, low-res images
  • Nature meets digital: Leaf patterns, moths, stars
  • Gentle emoji/symbols: Hearts, stars, tiny happy faces
  • Status always good: Battery always full, signal always strong

Housings and Enclosures

Building the “Machine” Body:

Material Aesthetic Skill Level Best For
Wood box Warm, natural, craftsman Beginner-Intermediate Cottagecore tech
Altoids/Small tins Compact, portable, instant casing Beginner Pocket machinery
Polymer clay built up Custom shapes, colorful, sculptural Intermediate Organic tech shapes
3D printed Precise, complex, futuristic Requires equipment Matching sets, specific designs
Cardboard + covering Lightweight, cheap, custom Beginner Prototyping, large pieces
Found objects Repurposed, eclectic, sustainable Variable Assemblage aesthetic
Leather/Fabric Soft, wearable, flexible Intermediate-Advanced Wearable tech, soft sculpture

Surface Treatments:

  • Labels: Hand-letter, print vintage-style, use label maker
  • Vents: Cut grids, emboss patterns, add mesh
  • Patina: Sand edges, stain, add wear marks
  • Clear windows: Resin pours, acrylic sheet, glass
  • Texture: Stamps, carving, added materials

Lighting and Glow

Adding Gentle Illumination:

Real Electronics (Simple):

  • Coin cell + LED: Tiny, easy, no soldering if you use holders
  • Fairy lights: Battery powered, already assembled
  • Tea lights: LED type, replaceable batteries
  • EL wire: Glowing wire, very soft-machinery aesthetic

Fake Glow:

  • Glow-in-dark paint/resin: No power needed, ambient glow
  • Resin with inclusions: Glitter, translucent colors suggest light
  • Translucent materials: Backlit by ambient light
  • Reflection tricks: Mirror/foil behind translucent element

Color Temperature Matters:

  • Warm white/amber: Cozy, nostalgic, comforting
  • Cool white: Clinical, less soft (usually avoid)
  • Colored: Blue (retro), green (circuit), pink/purple (cozy-future)
  • Flickering: Candle-like, alive, gentle

Project Types and Ideas

Comfort Objects: Personal Soft Machinery

Worry Tech

  • Small handheld object covered in satisfying buttons
  • Press buttons to do nothing but feel feedback
  • Worry stone meets fidget toy meets fake tech
  • No actual function except tactile comfort

Materials: Polymer clay, embedded buttons, smooth finish Skill level: Beginner Purpose: Anxiety relief, desk object, gift

Sleep Machine

  • Bedside object with warm light and gentle switches
  • All “settings” are comforting: rest, dream, peaceful, safe
  • Permanent display says restful things
  • Night light function optional

Materials: Wood box, paper screen, LED, switches Skill level: Intermediate Purpose: Bedroom décor, sleep ritual

Pocket Comfort Device

  • Altoids tin or small box
  • Interior filled with tiny switches, dials, single LED
  • Opens to reveal personal tech altar
  • Carry comfort technology

Materials: Tin, miniature components, soft interior Skill level: Beginner-Intermediate Purpose: Portable comfort, conversation piece

Decorative Displays: Soft Machinery as Art

Wall-Mounted Circuit Garden

  • Frame with embroidered or painted circuits
  • Add dried flowers, moss, natural elements
  • Circuits grow like vines
  • Nature/tech hybrid

Materials: Frame, fabric/wood, embroidery or paint, natural materials Skill level: Intermediate Purpose: Wall art, cottagecore-tech aesthetic

Desk Companion Console

  • Small control panel for nothing
  • Switches, dials, meters, lights
  • Each control labeled with emotional settings (“motivation,” “focus,” “tea time”)
  • Purely decorative productivity theater

Materials: Wood base, various controls, labels, optional lighting Skill level: Intermediate-Advanced Purpose: Desk décor, humor, aesthetic

Vintage Data Display

  • Looks like retro computer terminal
  • Single screen with permanent comforting readout
  • Buttons and switches around it
  • Amber or green screen aesthetic

Materials: Box, screen (paper/resin or LED), controls, vintage styling Skill level: Advanced Purpose: Retro-futurism décor, large statement piece

Wearable Soft Machinery

Circuit Jewelry

  • Pendants, earrings, brooches with circuit aesthetic
  • Non-functional but recognizable tech elements
  • Resin, metal, embroidery on fabric backing
  • Wear your tech aesthetic

Materials: Resin, wire, small components, jewelry findings Skill level: Beginner-Intermediate Purpose: Wearable art, personal style

Soft Machinery Badges/Patches

  • Embroidered circuits and tech elements
  • Pin to jacket, bag, hat
  • Tactile (add beads, buttons)
  • Modular tech aesthetic

Materials: Fabric, embroidery floss, beads, pin backing Skill level: Beginner Purpose: Wearable, customizable, collect and trade

Light-Up Accessories

  • Earrings, hair clips, brooches with tiny LEDs
  • Gentle glow, not flashy
  • Actually electronic but purposefully cozy
  • Function: look soft and glow gently

Materials: Coin cell batteries, tiny LEDs, jewelry findings, resin or polymer clay Skill level: Intermediate Purpose: Functional-decorative, night events, self-expression

Interactive/Kinetic Soft Machinery

Mechanical Mood Indicator

  • Dial or slider you can adjust
  • Shows your current state
  • Decorative but also functional (self-check-in)
  • Analog mood tracking

Materials: Wood base, moving part (slider/dial), printed scale Skill level: Intermediate Purpose: Emotional check-in tool, desk object

Satisfying Click Box

  • Box of switches that do nothing but click
  • Each switch different type (toggle, rocker, push)
  • Exploration of switch types as pure tactile
  • Fidget tool meets switch collection

Materials: Box, variety of switches (hardware store), optional lighting Skill level: Beginner Purpose: Fidget toy, ADHD-friendly, satisfying

Kinetic Circuits

  • Moving parts (crank, spinner, slider)
  • Causes lights to change or elements to move
  • Real mechanism, fake purpose
  • Delightful motion

Materials: Box, simple mechanism, LEDs/moving parts Skill level: Advanced Purpose: Kinetic sculpture, interactive art

Emotional Functions of Soft Machinery

What Soft Machinery “Does”

Real function is banned. But emotional function is the whole point.

Emotional Function How Soft Machinery Provides It Example Object
Comfort Warm materials, gentle light, soft texture Wood box with amber LED and smooth buttons
Control Switches and dials you adjust, responsive feedback Console of switches labeled with emotional states
Nostalgia Retro tech aesthetic, references to old technology Nixie tube display showing permanent comforting number
Reliability Never breaks, no updates, always same Screen showing “All systems: OK” forever
Simplicity One thing, clear, understandable, no learning curve Single button that lights up when pressed
Presence Object to focus on, meditative interaction Circuit pattern to trace with finger
Acceptance Non-judgmental, no tracking, no optimization Device with all positive readouts regardless of use
Tactile Satisfaction Buttons to press, dials to turn, texture to touch Worry-tech object covered in satisfying buttons

Designing for Emotional Impact

Consider:

  1. What do you want the user to feel? (Start here, not with form)
  2. What tech aesthetic evokes that feeling? (Retro, sleek, industrial, natural)
  3. What interaction supports it? (Pressing, viewing, adjusting, holding)
  4. What materials feel right? (Warm wood, cold metal, soft textile)
  5. What does it never do? (What real tech stress does it avoid?)

Example Design Process:

  • Feeling goal: Calm focus for creative work
  • Tech aesthetic: Minimal, warm, single-function
  • Interaction: Flip switch to “enter flow state” (does nothing but ritual)
  • Materials: Walnut wood, brass switch, warm white LED
  • Avoids: Timers, notifications, judgment, tracking

Technical Skills Reference

Electronics Basics for Soft Machinery

You can make soft machinery with zero electronics. But if you want working lights/sounds:

Absolute Minimum Electronics:

  • Coin cell battery (CR2032 common)
  • LED (pre-wired or with resistor)
  • Battery holder with switch
  • No soldering needed if you use holders and pre-wired LEDs

Next Level:

  • Learn to solder (opens up huge options)
  • Wire switches to LEDs
  • Use different LED colors
  • Add simple circuits (multiple LEDs, series/parallel)

Resources:

  • SparkFun tutorials (beginner-friendly)
  • Adafruit learning system
  • YouTube: “LED + battery basics”
  • Electronics hobby shops (helpful staff)

Safety:

  • Low voltage (3-9V) is safe
  • LEDs need resistors (or buy pre-resistored)
  • Coin cells can’t shock you
  • Keep batteries away from metal in storage

Weathering and Aging Fake Tech

Make your soft machinery look used and loved:

Techniques:

  1. Edge wear: Sand edges, corners to lighter color underneath
  2. Patina on metal: Vinegar/salt solution, liver of sulfur
  3. Yellowing plastic: Very diluted yellow or beige stain
  4. Dust in crevices: Black or brown paint thinned way down, wipe excess
  5. Scratches: Fine lines with gray or silver paint pen
  6. Fingerprint wear: Polish high-touch areas to shine
  7. Verdigris on copper: Specialized paint or real corrosion (salt + vinegar)
  8. Faded labels: Print, tea-stain, sun-fade
  9. Sticker residue: Dab of matte medium, dust lightly
  10. General grime: Watered brown/black wash, immediate wipe leaving trace

Age appropriately:

  • Brand new: No wear, perfect (rare in soft machinery—usually some age)
  • Lightly used: Some edge wear, gentle patina
  • Well-loved: Significant wear in use areas, aged materials
  • Ancient artifact: Heavy aging, rust, fragility

Finishing Techniques

Make it touchable:

  • Sand to smooth (wood, polymer clay)
  • Seal porous materials (wood sealer, resin coat)
  • Matte vs gloss finish (matte = softer feeling)
  • Wax finish (natural, touchable, soft glow)

Make it durable:

  • Multiple sealer coats on wood
  • UV resin for scratch-resistance
  • E6000 for permanent attachment
  • Secure electronics so nothing rattles

Make it precious:

  • Quality finish (no rough edges, glue visible)
  • Attention to detail (clean paint lines, even coating)
  • Signed/dated underneath
  • Packaging if gift (box, wrap, presentation)

Soft Machinery in Different Craft Traditions

Fiber Arts + Tech

Embroidered Circuits:

  • Stitch circuit pathways on fabric
  • Add bead “components”
  • Back with felt, frame or make pillows
  • Cozy quilts with tech patterns

Knitted/Crocheted “Wires”:

  • I-cord as chunky cables
  • Different colors for different “functions”
  • 3D soft sculpture tech
  • Huggable machinery

Felt Tech Elements:

  • Laser cut circuit patterns
  • Layer for dimension
  • Stitch together soft machines
  • Patches, badges, soft sculpture

Woodworking + Tech

Tech Aesthetic Boxes:

  • Traditional joinery, tech decoration
  • Inlays of “circuit” patterns
  • Embedded controls (switches, dials)
  • Warm wood meets industrial

Marquetry Circuits:

  • Different wood tones create circuit patterns
  • Precision cutting, traditional technique
  • Elevated craft meets tech aesthetic
  • Wall art or box lids

Turned Knobs and Buttons:

  • Lathe-turned wooden buttons
  • Custom dials and controls
  • Satisfying tactile elements
  • All-natural tech aesthetic

Ceramics + Tech

Porcelain Buttons:

  • Hand-formed or molded
  • Glazed in tech colors
  • Durable, precious buttons
  • Use in soft machinery projects

Stoneware Housings:

  • Hand-built boxes for electronics
  • Incorporate switches into clay
  • Organic shapes, industrial elements
  • Heavy, grounding presence

Surface Decoration:

  • Underglaze circuit patterns
  • Stamped tech textures
  • Metallic glaze for wiring look
  • Ceramic decals with tech images

Resin Art + Tech

Embedded Components:

  • Circuit boards, wires, chips in clear resin
  • Real tech, non-functional, decorative
  • Preserve obsolete tech as art
  • Make pendants, coasters, display blocks

Faux Screens:

  • Paper design sealed in resin
  • Crystal clear, permanent display
  • Smooth touchable surface
  • Looks like embedded screen

Glowing Tech:

  • Glow powder in resin
  • Surrounds embedded components
  • Charges in light, glows in dark
  • Magical tech feeling

Finding Your Soft Machinery Style

Style Directions to Explore

Cottagecore Circuits:

  • Natural materials (wood, plants, stone)
  • Green/brown color palette
  • Tech elements sparse, integrated
  • Message: Technology can coexist with nature

Retro-Future Comfort:

  • 70s/80s tech aesthetic
  • Beige, orange, brown
  • Chunky buttons, analog dials
  • Message: Back when tech was friendly

Pastel Machinery:

  • Soft colors, cute aesthetic
  • Small scale, kawaii influence
  • Gentle lights, rounded forms
  • Message: Tech can be soft and sweet

Industrial Cozy:

  • Metal, aged wood, leather
  • Brass, copper, iron
  • Functional appearance, non-functional reality
  • Message: Rugged tech that asks nothing

Minimal Calm:

  • Few elements, high quality
  • Natural materials, subdued colors
  • One light, one switch, one purpose
  • Message: Tech as meditation object

Developing Your Personal Tech Aesthetic

Questions to answer:

  1. What tech do you have nostalgia for? (First computer, old phone, childhood electronics)
  2. What colors make you feel safe? (Your palette)
  3. What interaction do you find satisfying? (Clicking, sliding, turning, pressing)
  4. What materials feel good to touch? (Wood, metal, soft, smooth)
  5. What size feels right? (Pocket, desk, wall, wearable)

Build your signature elements:

  • Specific button style you always use
  • Characteristic color palette
  • Repeated symbol or label style
  • Material combination that’s yours
  • Lighting approach (warm, minimal, colorful)

Community and Sharing

Where Soft Machinery Belongs

Online Communities:

  • Instagram: #SoftMachinery #CozyTech #NonFunctionalTech
  • Reddit: r/ArtisanVideos, r/Crafts, r/DIY
  • Tumblr: Aesthetic blogs, maker communities
  • TikTok: Process videos, satisfying sounds

Physical Spaces:

  • Indie craft fairs (non-traditional crafts)
  • Art galleries (sculpture, conceptual)
  • Maker faires (DIY technology)
  • Coffee shops, bookstores (local artist displays)
  • Online shops (Etsy, personal website)

Finding Your People:

  • Look for “speculative design” “useless inventions” communities
  • Join both craft AND tech maker groups
  • Connect with artists working in adjacent aesthetics
  • Share process, not just finished work

Documentation That Resonates

Photography:

  • In-use photos (on desk, in hands, in bedroom)
  • Detail shots (buttons, wires, textures close-up)
  • Lit and unlit if it has lights
  • Scale reference (hand, coin, common object)
  • Mood shots (atmospheric, styled)

Video:

  • Satisfying button presses (ASMR potential)
  • Lights turning on/off
  • Interactive elements in use
  • 360° turnarounds
  • Making process (time-lapse, step-by-step)

Description/Context:

  • What it doesn’t do (embrace uselessness)
  • What feeling it provides instead
  • Materials and making process
  • Your inspiration (aesthetic, emotional)
  • Care instructions if relevant

Commercial Possibilities

Selling Soft Machinery

Markets:

  • Anxiety/ADHD communities: Fidget value, comfort objects
  • Aesthetic collectors: Unique décor, conversation pieces
  • Gift buyers: Unusual presents, tech-adjacent people
  • Interior designers: Styling, unique props
  • Film/TV: Set dressing, character props
  • Brands: Store displays, brand activation

Pricing Considerations:

  • Materials cost + Time + Skill + Uniqueness factor
  • Handmade tech aesthetic commands premium
  • One-of-a-kind vs small batch vs limited production
  • Signed/numbered if doing editions

Product Formats:

  • Ready-made individual pieces
  • Custom commissions (your colors, your size, your message)
  • DIY kits (pre-cut, components included, assembly instructions)
  • Workshops (teach others to make their own)
  • Digital patterns/tutorials

Workshop and Teaching

Workshop Formats:

  • Intro: Make a Worry Tech Object (2 hours, beginners)
  • Embroidered Circuits (3 hours, fiber artists)
  • Wood + Simple Electronics (4 hours, intermediate)
  • Complete Console Build (full day, advanced)

What to Teach:

  • Concept: Why non-functional tech?
  • Aesthetics: What makes it read as “tech”?
  • Materials: Where to source, what works
  • Assembly: Techniques specific to soft machinery
  • Finishing: Making it precious
  • Emotional intention: Designing for feeling

Advanced Concepts

Soft Machinery as Conceptual Art

Themes to explore:

  • Post-digital craft: After the digital revolution, returning to analog
  • Technology refusal: Making tech that rejects tech’s demands
  • Emotional labor of tech: Visualizing hidden work of maintenance
  • Obsolescence resistance: Objects that never become obsolete
  • Care vs productivity: Tech that cares for you instead of extracting labor

Exhibition Contexts:

  • Gallery shows with artist statements
  • Craft-as-art venues
  • Speculative design exhibitions
  • Critical making showcases
  • Museum craft/design collections

Interactive and Participatory

Viewer Engagement:

  • Make machinery that invites touching (please touch signs)
  • Create pieces that respond to interaction (lights, movement)
  • Build large console many people can use together
  • Document interactions (photos of people using your work)

Collaborative Projects:

  • Collective soft machinery (everyone adds one button)
  • Exquisite corpse tech (each person builds one section)
  • Build/trade/gift chain (make for each other)
  • Open-source designs (share patterns, others make variations)

Soft Machinery Ecosystems

Instead of single objects, create:

  • Matching sets: Family of related objects
  • Modular systems: Pieces connect/stack/interact
  • Room installations: Entire space of soft machinery
  • Wearable + environment: Personal device + room console
  • Narrative sets: Objects from same fictional universe

Starting Your First Piece

Project: Basic Comfort Console

What you’ll make: Small desk object with buttons, switch, and light.

What you need:

  • Small wooden box or tin (4-6” across)
  • 3-5 buttons (wood, clay, or actual buttons)
  • 1 toggle switch (hardware store)
  • LED + coin battery + holder (optional)
  • Wood glue or E6000
  • Paint or stain
  • Labels (hand-drawn or printed)

Steps:

  1. Plan layout: Where will buttons go? Switch? Light?
  2. Prepare box: Sand, stain/paint if desired
  3. Install switch: Drill hole if needed, secure switch
  4. Attach buttons: Glue in satisfying arrangement
  5. Add light (optional): Battery holder inside, LED visible
  6. Label: Name your buttons (rest, focus, joy, etc.)
  7. Finish: Seal, sign, date

What it does: Nothing and everything. Buttons press but connect to nothing. Switch flips. Light glows. You have a tiny control panel for your emotional state.

Time: 2-4 hours depending on drying/complexity

Result: Your first piece of soft machinery. A comforting, useless, perfect object.

The Philosophy of Soft Machinery

At its heart, soft machinery is about:

Permission to make useless things: Not everything needs productivity justification. Some objects exist to be touched, to look at, to comfort.

Reclaiming technology: Tech doesn’t have to demand and extract. It can give without asking.

Handmade in machine age: Asserting the value of craft, time, human touch in a mass-produced world.

Comfort as resistance: When everything pushes optimization and efficiency, comfort is radical.

Making what we need: Not what’s available for sale, but what our hearts need to see and touch.

You’re making technology that can’t judge you, can’t become obsolete, can’t send notifications, can’t break in a way you can’t fix, can’t be taken away by a subscription cancellation.

You’re making tech that says: rest. You’re okay. You’re enough. Nothing needs updating. All systems are fine exactly as they are.

Make a button that does nothing. Make it beautiful. Make it feel good to press. Make it yours.

That’s soft machinery. That’s enough.

Now go make technology that loves you back.