Over the course of my painting career, I have painted several pieces of Dixie Shangri-la furniture. It is some of the prettiest vintage chinoiserie furniture that’s easy to score and looks fabulous painted.
Shangri-la furniture, in its vintage condition, is fairly dated-looking. Despite being made of solid wood, this furniture has a painted yellow finish with brown splatter, giving it a dingy and old appearance.
Its original ugliness helps Facebook marketplace shoppers score amazing deals. Most people can’t look past the yellow.
Occasionally, I have come across Dixie Shangri-la in a brown-stained version. I would recommend incorporating those in the vintage condition in many rooms.
Dixie Shangri-La Furniture History
Dixie Furniture Company made this line of furniture in the 1960s. Founded in 1901, Dixie manufactured some of the most excellent furniture that you will find at estate sales and second-hand shops.
The 1933 novel Lost Horizon places Shangri-la as a fictional location in Tibet. The Shangri-la name references the Asian/chinoiserie elements of the line.
Lexington Furniture acquired Dixie at some point. The plant closed in 2003, which was the end of Dixie Furniture Co.
Chinoiserie Details Of Shangri-La Furniture
The best part of this line of furniture is the custom hardware that was exclusive to the line. The center medallion on the triple dressers and armoires is a fairly standard design element of most Asian-style furniture.
What is unique and special about Shangri-la is the bail-style drawer pulls that have a distinct Asian flare.
The routed fretwork overlay strip and the corner fretwork at the leg are additional chinoiserie elements that add charm to the overall look.
Various Pieces In The Shangri-La Line
Dressers
Dixie Shangri-la dressers came in 3 different sizes. Twin, queen, and king size. The king dresser, also called a triple dresser, has a door in the center, making it an easy piece to incorporate as a dining room credenza.
Tallboy, Armoire & Lingerie Chest
A smaller, all-drawer tallboy was meant to be a complimentary piece to the twin and queen dresser. The armoire, with the door, is a mate to the king dresser.
Lingerie chests offer great vertical storage for tight spaces.
Nightstands & Chests
Like almost all vintage furniture, the nightstands in the Shangri-la line are short and small at about 24″ X 24″. They are perfect for modern platform beds that don’t use a box spring.
The bachelor’s chests are great as oversized nightstands for taller beds and large master suites. It’s tough to find them in pairs as they sold as single small dressers back in the day.
Hutches & Miscellaneous Items
I adore the Shangri-la hutches because they are such a great accent piece for a small space. The 30″ version is my favorite.
I have written extensively about a few other vintage furniture lines, such as Landstrom and Dorothy Draper if you want to check it out.