Get the look for less: Country decor dollar store style

There are a lot of different country looks - cottage, English, French, Victorian, Seaside, Shabby-chic, - but I went on the hunt for items in cottage style, which features lots of white with hits of pastel color like pink or turquoise, baskets, wooden boxes and homespun things like quilts. The cottage country look usually features large pitchers for flowers but, at my dollar store at least, I had to settle for a white vase. You can load the baskets with apples or onions for display or hang them on the wall, as here. A white pillar candle, wrapped in a piece of pink gingham ribbon secured with a tack and embellished with a floral candle pin, sits atop two wooden boxes that I found in the craft aisle. The fringed throw rug draped over the table has a homey, hand-knotted look in the country tradition.

You don't have to spend a lot to get the look you want. For about $10 and one trip to the dollar store, you can make a good start on decorating in the country style.

Marlene Alexander is a freelance writer and dollar store diva. She writes free decorating ideas and tips using only items from the dollar store.