Short answer: Cozey's Arca suits you if you want built-in storage, hidden or open, and a table that splits into two side tables. Cozey's Ombra suits you if you want open shelves and two pull-out ottomans for guests. Both come in Oak or Walnut.
These two tables look alike on paper, because each coffee table is 43.4 inches long and around 13 to 14 inches high. They answer different questions. The Arca is about storage and flexibility, and the Ombra is about seating and shelves. 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?
- Which is better for extra seating and hosting?
- Which is easier to assemble and reconfigure?
- 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 two are almost equal on floor space, so the choice is about what the table does. The Arca coffee table is two square tables joined, 43.4 x 21.5 inches. The Ombra coffee table is 43.3 x 21.5 inches. Both are shallow, which keeps a walkway open in a narrow room.
The difference is what happens around the table. Each Arca table sits in place and can be split into two side tables later. The Ombra needs a clear patch of floor in front of it, because its ottomans pull out toward you. In a very tight room, the Arca asks for less free space.
How do the sizes and heights compare?
The two are almost the same size, and the Arca is slightly higher. This table shows both side by side.
How do the sizes and heights compare?
| Arca | Ombra coffee table | |
|---|---|---|
| Shape | Square tables, joined in pairs | Slim rectangle |
| Coffee table | Two tables: 43.4 x 21.5 inches | 43.3 x 21.5 inches |
| Other formats | Side table, one table: 21.7 x 21.5 inches; XL coffee table, four tables: 43.4 x 43.5 inches | Round side table with one ottoman, 19.7 inches across and high |
| Height | 13.8 inches | 13.3 inches |
| Seating | None | Two ottomans, each 17.7 x 14.0 inches and 11.8 inches high |
| Storage | Hidden (curved) or open (fluted) in every table | Open shelves in two sizes |
| Finish | Oak or Walnut | Oak or Walnut |
| Materials | Ash wood veneer with a satin finish over a 0.98-inch (2.5 cm) particle board core; bent plywood or ash wood flutes | Ash wood and MDF with a veneer, satin stain |
| Assembly | Curved arrives pre-assembled; fluted ships flat, mostly tool-free | Ships flat, mostly tool-free: screws, dowel pins and an Allen key |
| Best for | Storage, a low look, a table that splits | Guests, footrests, open shelves |
The Arca is 0.5 inches higher than the Ombra. Depths are rounded to the nearest half inch, and heights and widths are as published.
Which has more storage?
The Arca has more, because every Arca table has its own storage. At Cozey, we describe the curved Arca as having hidden storage, a narrow compartment about 17.1 inches wide that suits flat items such as remotes and magazines. The fluted Arca has an open shelf about 21 inches square and 11 inches high, which suits books or a basket.
The Ombra coffee table has open shelves in two sizes, one small and one large, in addition to the tabletop. Nothing is hidden, so it suits things you want to see and reach. If hidden storage matters most, choose a curved Arca; our guide to coffee tables with storage compares the wider range.
Which is better for extra seating and hosting?
The Ombra, because it is the one with seats. Its two ottomans slide under the tabletop when you are not using them and pull out when guests arrive or when you want a footrest. Each is 11.8 inches high, so we see them as occasional low seats rather than a replacement for a sofa seat.
The Arca has no seating. Its tops hold drinks, books and a tray, and its storage tidies the room. For a look at other pieces that store things and seat people, see our guide to storage ottomans that double as seating.
Which is easier to assemble and reconfigure?
The Arca is easier on both counts, and the curved style is the easiest of all. At Cozey, we ship the curved Arca fully assembled in one box. The fluted Arca ships flat and its panels connect with Knapp connectors, with three M6 screws and a 4 mm Allen key in the hardware box. The Ombra ships flat too, with screws, dowel pins and a 4 mm Allen key. Because of the Allen key, we call both mostly tool-free.
For reconfiguring, the Arca is built to change. Each table comes with a foot connector, so two tables join into a coffee table and can be separated again into two side tables. You can mix curved and fluted, or join four for the XL format. The Ombra is a fixed table: you choose a coffee table with two ottomans, a coffee table only, or a side table with one ottoman or none.
Which goes better with my sofa?
Either can work, and both sit well below a typical seat. 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 between them. That is general advice, not a product specification, and our guide to pairing a sofa, accent chair and coffee table goes deeper.
By that guideline, a 43.4 inches coffee table of either kind suits a sofa of roughly 65 inches or longer. For a big seating area, the Arca XL is 43.4 inches square. Our Cassini seat is 17 inches high, so both tables sit a little below it.
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. For a pale sofa, see table finishes for a light-colored sofa.
Which should I choose?
- Choose the Arca if you want built-in storage, hidden or open, a table that splits into two side tables, or the least assembly (choose curved).
- Choose the Ombra if you host guests, want a footrest or extra seats, or want open shelves under a low, slim top. It also comes as a round side table with one ottoman.
- Choose neither if you want a table that rises to a working height: see our Stella guide, or our Eclipse guide for a round table.
Our recommendation
At Cozey, we suggest the Arca for a living room where tidy storage and flexibility matter most, and the Ombra for one where guests, footrests and shelf space matter more. If you cannot decide, count how often you need extra seats: if it is often, the Ombra earns its place; if it is rarely, the Arca's storage will work harder.
Our Arca guide and Ombra guide have the full details, and our guide to nesting and space-saving tables puts both beside our other pieces. For the wall behind the sofa, see Themis and Altitude.
Explore our tables
- Arca table
- Ombra table
- Coffee tables
- Side tables
- How to choose a coffee table
- How to choose a side table
- Which Cozey sofa is right for you
More Cozey comparisons: Stella vs Arca, Stella vs Ombra, Tessella vs Arca, Tessella vs Ombra, Eclipse vs Arca, Eclipse vs Ombra, Arca vs Mensa, Arca vs Solis, Ombra vs Mensa, Ombra vs Solis.
Product specifications can change. Check the current dimensions on the product page before ordering.