Short answer: Cozey's Tessella is a long, low wood coffee table for the middle of a seating area. Cozey's Solis is a small steel side table that adjusts in height. Choose the Tessella for a centerpiece, the Solis for a spot beside a sofa, chair or bed.
These two tables do different jobs, so the decision is about the job. One is a fixed, wide surface in front of the sofa; the other is a slim, movable surface at its side. Our Tessella guide and Solis guide cover each in full. This page sets them side by side.
On This Page
- How do the sizes compare?
- Which is better for a small room?
- What can I put on each one?
- Which goes better with my sofa?
- Which has more storage?
- How do the finishes and materials compare?
- Which is easier to assemble and move?
- Which should I choose?
- Our recommendation
- Explore our tables
How do the sizes compare?
At Cozey, the Tessella is the longest of our coffee tables and the Solis is one of our smallest side tables. The Tessella is 67.6 inches long, 27.0 inches deep and 16.0 inches high. The Solis top is 21.7 x 13.0 inches, and its height adjusts from 20.7 inches to 30.7 inches.
How do the sizes compare?
| Tessella coffee table | Solis side table | |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 67.6 x 27.0 inches | Top 21.7 x 13.0 inches; base 12.8 x 10.0 inches |
| Height | 16.0 inches, fixed | 20.7 inches to 30.7 inches, adjustable |
| Shape | Long rectangle, two square tops and a recessed center | Slim rectangular top on a steel column and flat base |
| Storage | None; recessed center for small items | None |
| Finish | Oak or Walnut (ash veneer) | Powder-coated steel in seven colors |
| Material | 15 mm MDF with 0.3 mm ash veneer and lacquer | 3 mm and 4 mm cold-rolled carbon steel |
| Assembly | Mostly tool-free; about 20 minutes | Mostly tool-free; about 15 minutes |
| Best for | A wide three-seat sofa and a larger room | Narrow spaces, sofa ends, a bedside or a laptop |
The Tessella is about three times as long as the Solis top and about twice as deep, but at full height the Solis top sits 14.7 inches above the Tessella top. One is wide and low; the other is small and adjustable.
Which is better for a small room?
In a small room, the Solis is the lighter choice, because its top is only 13.0 inches deep and it stays out of the walkway. It fits against a sofa arm, and its base is 12.8 x 10.0 inches on the floor. Our Solis guide and side table guide both suggest it for narrow spaces.
The Tessella asks for space to spare. It is 67.6 inches long, and as general advice a coffee table is about two-thirds the length of the sofa, which points to a sofa near 100 inches wide. Under about 80 inches, our Tessella guide suggests a shorter table. Our guide to how to choose a coffee table suggests leaving 14 to 18 inches between sofa and table and about 30 to 36 inches where people walk.
What can I put on each one?
The Tessella suits drinks, books, a tray and a remote, because its top is long and low at 16.0 inches. Its recessed center keeps small items together. Our product page lists an extra-large surface as one of its key features.
The Solis is for a lamp, a phone, a glass or a laptop. Our product page lists a static maximum load of 66.1 lb and a dynamic maximum load of 13.2 lb, and we do not define those terms, so treat the lower figure as your guide for what stays on the table. As general advice, clear the top before you change the height. For heavier or larger loads, the Tessella is the sturdier surface.
Which goes better with my sofa?
Match the table to the sofa's seat height and width. As general advice, not a product specification, a coffee table sits level with the seat or 1 to 2 inches lower, and a side table sits level with the arm or a little below. Our guide to pairing a sofa, accent chair and coffee table covers the layout.
At Cozey, we make four sofa collections and two sofa beds: Ciello, Gaia, Cassini and Atmosphere, plus Neptune and Orian. Seat heights from our guides show how each table sits.
Which goes better with my sofa?
| Sofa | Seat height | Tessella (16.0 inches) | Solis at lowest (20.7 inches) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atmosphere | Regular 17.5 inches | 1.5 inches below the seat | 3.2 inches above |
| Neptune | 16.9 inches | 0.9 inches below | 3.8 inches above |
| Cassini | 17.0 inches | 1.0 inches below | 3.7 inches above |
| Ciello and Gaia | 21.3 inches | 5.3 inches below | 0.6 inches below |
The Tessella sits just below the seat of Atmosphere, Neptune and Cassini, which matches the usual advice, and it looks low beside the taller Ciello and Gaia seat. The Solis starts above the three lower seats and nearly level with Ciello and Gaia, and it can rise from there to match an arm or a bed. The two do not compete in front of the sofa: the Tessella is the centerpiece and the Solis sits at the end. To check your own sofa against either table, build your sofa in Cozey Studio, which does not include tables, to see its size.
Which has more storage?
Neither has storage. The Tessella has no drawers or shelves, only a recessed center for a remote or a few small items, and our product page lists no storage for the Solis. If storage is the priority, our coffee tables with storage guide compares the Eclipse, Mensa, Arca and Ombra, and our side table guide covers side tables with a drawer, tray or shelf. Our nesting and space-saving tables guide explains what we do and do not sell, and we do not sell a nesting set.
How do the finishes and materials compare?
The Tessella is wood and the Solis is steel. The Tessella comes in Oak, the lighter wood that keeps a room airy, or Walnut, the deeper wood that gives a pale sofa something to stand out against. It is 15 mm MDF with a 0.3 mm ash veneer and lacquer, so it shows ash grain. Care is simple: dust with a soft, dry cloth, wipe stains with a damp cloth and mild soap, dry right away and use coasters.
The Solis is powder-coated steel in Twilight, Eclipse, Wave, Dandelion, Thyme, Mushroom and Solstice. Eclipse here is only a color name, not our round Eclipse tables. The tabletop and cylinder are 3 mm cold-rolled carbon steel, the base is 4 mm and the handle is plastic. Our table finishes for a light-colored sofa guide suggests one colored piece as a single accent, which is design advice, not a rule.
Which is easier to assemble and move?
Both are mostly tool-free, because each box also holds an Allen key and screws. Our assembly times guide lists about 20 minutes for a Tessella and about 15 minutes for a Solis.
The Solis ships in one box of 25.4 x 15.7 x 5.9 inches, 23.0 lb. The Tessella ships in two boxes: 29.8 x 29.8 x 8.8 inches, 47.5 lb, and 46.9 x 16.9 x 6.9 inches, 37.8 lb. For tight stairs or elevators, see will it fit.
Which should I choose?
Choose the Tessella if:
- You want a centerpiece in front of a wide three-seat sofa.
- Your room has space to spare and you like a long, low surface.
- You prefer an Oak or Walnut wood look.
Choose the Solis if:
- You need a small table beside a sofa, chair or bed.
- You want the height to change for an arm, a mattress or a laptop.
- You like a steel color as an accent.
If you want a wood side table, the Tessella also has a matching side table in Oak or Walnut, and you can use a Tessella with a Solis in one room.
Our recommendation
At Cozey, we suggest the Tessella as the centerpiece for a wide three-seat sofa and a room with space to spare, and the Solis as the small, adjustable table beside a sofa, chair or bed. If your room needs both a centerpiece and a small perch, the two work together.
If you are still deciding, read our guide to how to choose a coffee table and our guide to how to choose a side table, then check your sofa's size in Cozey Studio, which does not include tables.
Explore our tables
More Cozey comparisons: Stella vs Tessella, Stella vs Solis, Tessella vs Eclipse, Tessella vs Arca, Tessella vs Ombra, Tessella vs Mensa, Eclipse vs Solis, Arca vs Solis, Ombra vs Solis, Mensa vs Solis.
Product specifications can change. Check the current dimensions on the product page before ordering.