Short answer: Cozey's Ombra suits you if you want a low, slim table with open shelves and two pull-out ottomans for guests. Cozey's Mensa suits you if you want a slightly taller table whose trays hide small items and double as serving trays or lap desks.
These two tables solve different problems: the Ombra adds seats and shelves, and the Mensa adds hidden storage and movable trays. Our guide to how to choose a coffee table covers the wider range.
On This Page
- Which is better for a small room?
- How do the sizes and heights compare?
- Which has more storage and seating?
- How do the side tables compare?
- How do the finishes, materials and assembly compare?
- Which goes better with my sofa?
- Which should I choose?
- Our recommendation
- Explore our tables
Which is better for a small room?
At Cozey, we find the Ombra is the better fit for a narrow room, because the coffee table is 43.3 inches (110 cm) long and only 21.5 inches (55 cm) deep. The Mensa coffee table is nearly as long at 41.7 inches (106 cm) but deeper at 26.0 inches (65.5 cm).
The Ombra needs a clear patch of floor so the ottomans can pull out, while the Mensa trays slide out over the top. Our Ombra guide and Mensa guide show each table in full.
How do the sizes and heights compare?
The Mensa coffee table is deeper and taller, and the Ombra is the lower, slimmer table. This table shows both side by side.
How do the sizes and heights compare?
| Ombra | Mensa | |
|---|---|---|
| Coffee table size | 43.3 inches (110 cm) x 21.5 inches (55 cm) | 41.7 inches (106 cm) x 26.0 inches (65.5 cm) |
| Coffee table height | 13.3 inches (33.9 cm) | 16.3 inches (41.5 cm) |
| Side table size | 19.7 inches (50 cm) across, 19.7 inches (50 cm) high | 19.7 inches (50 cm) square; 16.3 inches (41.5 cm) high, or 20.1 inches (51 cm) with the shelf |
| Storage | Open shelves in two sizes (coffee table) | Trays that slide out of the top; optional shelf (side table) |
| Seating | Two ottomans (coffee) or one (side), each 17.7 inches (45 cm) x 14.0 inches (35 cm) and 11.8 inches (30 cm) high | None |
| Finish | Oak or Walnut | Oak, Walnut or Black wood |
| Assembly | Mostly tool-free: screws, dowel pins and an Allen key | Mostly tool-free: legs, hand screws and an Allen key; about 15 minutes |
Which has more storage and seating?
The Ombra has the seating, and the Mensa has the more private storage. At Cozey, we list the Ombra coffee table with open shelves in two sizes, one small and one large, plus two ottomans that nest under the top. The ottomans are low seats, 11.8 inches (30 cm) high, so we see them as occasional seats and footrests.
The Mensa coffee table has two trays, each 27.0 inches (68.5 cm) long, that slide out of the top like drawers. Closed, they hide remotes or a throw. Lifted free, they become a serving tray or a lap desk. We do not publish a weight limit for the trays, so keep them for everyday items. For more options, read our guide to coffee tables with storage.
How do the side tables compare?
The two side tables differ in shape and in what they add. The Ombra side table is cylindrical, 19.7 inches (50 cm) across and 19.7 inches (50 cm) high, and it comes with one ottoman or on its own. The Mensa side table is square, 19.7 inches (50 cm) on each side, with one tray and an optional shelf.
Without the shelf, the Mensa side table stands 16.3 inches (41.5 cm) high, which suits a low sofa; with it, 20.1 inches (51 cm) high, with an open lower level. A round Ombra top has no corners to bump, and the Mensa tray lifts out to carry a snack or a laptop to the sofa. Our guide to how to choose a side table explains matching a height to your sofa arm.
How do the finishes, materials and assembly compare?
Both are wood tables with steel or wood frames, but the Mensa offers one more finish. The Mensa comes in Oak, Walnut or Black wood, and the Ombra comes in Oak or Walnut. Oak is the lighter, more natural tone and Walnut is deeper, so Walnut gives a pale sofa more contrast. Our guide to table finishes for a light-coloured sofa goes deeper.
The Ombra ottoman covers come in four colours: Sage, Espresso and Frost in Performance Chenille, and Sesame in Aquaforte, and they are removable and washable. The Mensa has no fabric, so a damp cloth and mild soap are all it needs.
Both ship flat and are mostly tool-free, with an Allen key in the hardware. On the Mensa only the legs need attaching, about 15 minutes; the Ombra adds dowel pins.
Which goes better with my sofa?
A common guideline is a coffee table about two-thirds the length of your sofa, level with the seat or a little lower, with 14 to 18 inches (36 to 46 cm) between them. That is general advice, and our guide to pairing a sofa, accent chair and coffee table goes deeper.
By that guideline, the 43.3 inches (110 cm) Ombra suits a sofa of roughly 65 inches (165 cm) or longer, and the 41.7 inches (106 cm) Mensa suits one of roughly 63 inches (160 cm) or longer.
At Cozey, our four modular sofa collections are Ciello (soft, with deep loose cushions), Gaia (a soft seat with a high back), Cassini (low and curved) and Atmosphere (medium-firm, with our deepest seat). In Cozey Studio, our online configurator, you can see the overall length of your sofa before you pick a table; our Studio guide explains how.
Which should I choose?
- Choose the Ombra if you host guests, want a footrest or extra seats, or want open shelves under a low, slim top.
- Choose the Mensa if you want hidden storage, a tray for snacks or a laptop, or a taller top with a Black wood option.
Our recommendation
At Cozey, we suggest the Ombra for a living room where guests, footrests and shelf space matter, and the Mensa for a living room where tidy, hidden storage and a flexible tray matter more than extra seats. If you cannot decide, measure the floor in front of your sofa and check it against the figures above.
Our buying guide for living room storage puts both beside our other pieces. For the wall behind the sofa, see Themis and Altitude.
Explore our tables
More Cozey comparisons: Stella vs Ombra, Stella vs Mensa, Tessella vs Ombra, Tessella vs Mensa, Eclipse vs Ombra, Eclipse vs Mensa, Arca vs Ombra, Arca vs Mensa, Ombra vs Solis, Mensa vs Solis.
Product specifications can change. Check the current dimensions on the product page before ordering.