Short answer: Cozey's Tessella is one long, low coffee table for a wide three-seat sofa and a roomy space. Cozey's Arca is a smaller, lower modular table with built-in storage that grows from one side table into a coffee table.
Both come in Oak or Walnut, and both are finished in wood, so the choice rests on size, storage and how flexible you want the table to be. This page puts the two side by side. For each one on its own, see our guides to the Tessella and the Arca.
On This Page
- Which is better for a small room?
- How do the sizes compare?
- Which has more storage?
- Which is easier to move or reconfigure?
- How do the 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?
The Arca, because its coffee table is much shorter and shallower. Two joined Arca tables measure 43.4 x 21.5 inches (110 x 55 cm), and a single table is 21.5 inches (55 cm) square. The Tessella is 67.6 x 27.0 inches (171.7 x 68.5 cm), which is 24.2 inches (61.7 cm) longer and 5.5 inches (13.5 cm) deeper than the Arca coffee table.
As general advice, leave 14 to 18 inches (36 to 46 cm) between the sofa and the table, and keep walking paths at least 30 inches (76 cm) wide, or 36 inches (91 cm) for more comfort. Our guide to how to choose a coffee table explains the sizing. For a sofa under about 80 inches (203 cm), our Tessella guide points to a shorter table, and a single Arca or a pair is the better fit.
How do the sizes compare?
The Tessella is longer, deeper and a little higher, and the Arca is smaller and adjusts by adding tables. Here is the pair at a glance, from the figures on our product pages and guides.
How do the sizes compare?
| Feature | Tessella | Arca |
|---|---|---|
| Shape | Long rectangle: two square tops with a recessed centre | Square, modular |
| Size | 67.6 x 27.0 x 16.0 inches (171.7 x 68.5 x 40.7 cm), one size | One table 21.5 inches (55 cm) square; coffee table (two tables) 43.4 x 21.5 inches (110 x 55 cm); XL (four tables) 43.4 x 43.5 inches (110 x 110 cm) |
| Height | 16.0 inches (40.7 cm) | 13.8 inches (35 cm) in every format |
| Storage | None; the recessed centre holds small items | Hidden (curved) or open (fluted) in every table |
| Finishes | Oak or Walnut | Oak or Walnut |
| Materials | 15 mm MDF with a 0.3 mm ash wood veneer and lacquer | Ash wood veneer with a satin finish over a 2.5 cm particle board core; bent plywood or ash wood flutes |
| Assembly | Mostly tool-free; about 20 minutes per table | Curved arrives pre-assembled; fluted assembles flat-packed, mostly tool-free |
| Best for | A wide three-seat sofa and a large room | Low seating, storage and a table that splits into two |
Depth figures are rounded to the nearest half inch, and lengths, widths and heights are as published.
Which has more storage?
The Arca, because every Arca table has storage and the Tessella has none. The curved Arca has hidden storage, a narrow compartment about 17.1 inches (43.4 cm) wide and 7.5 inches (18.5 cm) deep, which suits flat items such as remotes, magazines and coasters. The fluted Arca has an open shelf about 21 inches (53 cm) square and 11 inches (28 cm) high, which suits books or a basket.
The Tessella has no drawers, shelves or doors. Its recessed centre keeps a remote or a few small items together, but it is not storage in the same sense. If hiding things matters, choose the Arca, and see our guide to coffee tables with storage for the wider range.
Which is easier to move or reconfigure?
The Arca, because it is built from small square tables that connect and separate. Each table comes with a foot connector, and you hook two together to make a coffee table. The tables can be separated again later, so a coffee table can go back to being two side tables, one at each end of the sofa. You can also mix a curved table with a fluted one, or join four for the XL format.
The Tessella is one long table with a single size. It ships in two boxes, one of 29.8 x 29.8 x 8.8 inches (75.7 x 75.7 x 22.4 cm) at 47.5 lb (21.5 kg) and one of 46.9 x 16.9 x 6.9 inches (119.2 x 42.9 x 17.4 cm) at 37.8 lb (17.1 kg). It suits a room that will keep its layout. If you move often or like to rearrange, the Arca is easier to live with, and our guide to measuring stairs, elevators and doorways helps you plan the route for either.
How do the materials and assembly compare?
Both tables are wood-finished and mostly tool-free, but they are built differently. The Tessella is 15 mm MDF with a 0.3 mm ash wood veneer and a lacquer finish, with panels that connect on a plastic clip system and adjustable feet that arrive attached to the legs. Our assembly article lists about 20 minutes per Tessella table.
The Arca has an ash wood veneer with a satin finish over a 2.5 cm particle board core. The curved table arrives fully assembled in one box. The fluted table ships flat, and its panels connect with Knapp connectors, with three M6 screws and a 4 mm Allen key in the hardware box. Joining two Arca tables uses the foot connector. Because both hardware boxes include screws, hand screws or an Allen key, we describe them as mostly tool-free. Neither is solid wood throughout. For both, dust with a soft, dry cloth, wipe stains with a damp cloth and mild soap, dry right away and use coasters. Oak is lighter and Walnut is warmer and deeper, and our guide to table finishes for a light-coloured sofa helps you choose.
Which goes better with my sofa?
The Tessella suits a wide sofa and the Arca suits a smaller sofa, and the main difference is length. As general advice, a coffee table is about two-thirds the length of the sofa and sits level with the seat or a little lower. By that rule the Tessella points to a sofa near 100 inches (255 cm) wide, and the 43.4 inch (110 cm) Arca coffee table to a sofa near 65 inches (165 cm). Seat heights come from our guides.
Which goes better with my sofa?
| Sofa | Seat height | Tessella (16.0 inches) | Arca (13.8 inches) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atmosphere | 17.5 inches (44.5 cm) Regular; 18.1 inches (46 cm) Storage; 17.3 inches (44 cm) Sleeper | About 1.5 inches (4 cm) below the Regular seat | About 3.5 inches (9.5 cm) below the Regular seat |
| Neptune | 16.9 inches (43 cm) | About 1 inch (2 cm) below | About 3 inches (8 cm) below |
| Cassini | 17.0 inches (43 cm) | About 1 inch (2 cm) below | About 3 inches (8 cm) below |
| Ciello and Gaia | 21.3 inches (54 cm) | About 5.5 inches (13 cm) below | About 7.5 inches (19 cm) below |
At Cozey, our four sofa collections each suit these tables differently. Atmosphere has our deepest seat and a three-seater of 106.7 to 110.6 inches (271 to 281 cm), the closest proportion to the Tessella. Cassini is curved and low, and its 60.6 inch (154 cm) two-seater is shorter than the Tessella, so the Arca is the better length. Ciello and Gaia have a high seat and deep cushions, so both tables look low beside them, and the Arca looks lowest. Our Neptune sofa bed is close in seat height to the Cassini. Preview your sofa in Cozey Studio, our online configurator, to see the overall size on screen before you choose the table.
Our guide to pairing a sofa, accent chair and coffee table shows the wider layout. If the wall behind the sofa needs storage, our Themis modular wall system and Altitude wall shelves and cabinet add it above the floor.
Which should I choose?
Choose the Tessella if:
- You have a wide three-seat sofa, close to 100 inches (255 cm), and room to spare.
- You want one long, calm surface at 16.0 inches (40.7 cm).
- You do not need built-in storage.
Choose the Arca if:
- You want built-in storage, hidden or open.
- You have a smaller sofa or a tighter room.
- You like two side tables that join into a coffee table and split again.
- You want the least assembly (choose curved).
Our recommendation
At Cozey, we recommend the Tessella for a large living room with a wide three-seat sofa, where one long table anchors the seating area, and the Arca for a smaller room or any space that needs tidy storage and flexibility. Pick Oak for a lighter room or Walnut for more contrast with a pale sofa, and measure the gap to your sofa before you order.
If you are still comparing, our guides to how to choose a coffee table and nesting and space-saving tables show the rest of our range.
Explore our tables
- Tessella coffee table guide
- Arca table guide
- How to choose a coffee table
- How to choose a side table
- Coffee tables with storage
- How to pair a sofa, accent chair and coffee table
- Cozey Studio guide
More Cozey comparisons: Stella vs Tessella, Stella vs Arca, Tessella vs Eclipse, Tessella vs Ombra, Tessella vs Mensa, Tessella vs Solis, Eclipse vs Arca, Arca vs Ombra, Arca vs Mensa, Arca vs Solis.
Product specifications can change. Check the current dimensions on the product page before ordering.