In Season 3, Episode 2 of And Just Like That, Carrie Bradshaw, true to form, is crashing out — not over a friend’s crisis or fashion-related emergency, but over a dining table. Granted, there's also a rat infestation brewing in her once-beautiful backyard, but it’s Aidan’s thumbs-down emoji in response to a vintage mid-century dining table on 1stDibs that really sends her into a spiral.
And Aidan’s not alone. Judging from the comments under 1stDibs’ Instagram post commemorating the cameo, plenty of AJLT viewers weren’t fans either. But what Aidan — and the trolls — are missing is that this wasn’t just any dining table. It was actually a piece of iconic furniture design. Vladimir Kagan for Vladimir Kagan Designs, circa 1967: a sleek, sculptural piece in zebrawood, aluminum, and glass. Archival. Rare. A member of furniture royalty, if you will.
It's simply good mid-century modern home design. The zebrawood is rich, graphic, and near impossible to find now. The aluminum gives it a cool edge. And the glass top keeps it light — both literally and visually — especially helpful if you happen to live in a multistory Gramercy brownstone with a bird’s-eye view of your own floor plan.
Oh, to live in a sitcom...
And for once, Carrie’s pick might actually be…practical? She might be famous for wearing Manolos on cobblestones, but this dining room table is expandable — a trademark of mid-century thinking, and a very real necessity in New York apartments.
It doesn’t demand year-round floorspace, but it shows up when you need it. A perfect dinner party table that folds back into itself when everyone goes home. (We know Carrie’s never cooking, but still — we applaud the instinct.)
Originals like this are few and far between. If we had the chance to buy one — especially with the time crunch of another buyer circling — we’d be spiraling too.
So yes, we’re siding with Carrie. And to prove it, we’re channeling the spirit of the controversial table by rounding up mid-century designs — though hopefully these might’ve passed the Aidan test with a certified thumbs-up.
Vladimir Kagan’s original mid-century modern furniture design is a bit of an oddity, not just for the zebrawood, but for the leg placement: each flanks a short side, rather than the long. So if you prefer your legs visible (and not pretending to be a pedestal from the side), this glass-topped option from West Elm satisfies a similar craving.
Let’s not forget, Aidan is a furniture designer. He and Carrie met in his woodworking shop back in Sex and the City’s early seasons, which makes his dismissal all the more confusing. If anyone should recognize a mid-century living room masterpiece, it’s him. As one commenter under 1stDibs’ post points out, “I think Aidan is more wood than a glass guy.” Fair enough. This teak-bottomed table should be more his speed — similar idea, just with a little more timber.
The moody, blue-gray glass top in the original Model 6705 table is echoed nicely in this Wayfair option. Where it diverges, though, is its rose gold base, warmer than the original’s brushed aluminum. A touch more glam, but perhaps a better fit for our favorite maximalist.
Speaking of classics, these iconic mid-century modern chairs — that would pair beautifully with the above — are equally worthy of a little hubbub.
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