On any given day, Mary Emmerling could be traveling across the country, scouting homes to feature in House Beautiful magazine. But when she's home, the author of more than 20 home-decor books hangs out in a 1960s Scottsdale patio home that she and husband Reg Jackson remodeled.

Given its age, the two-story, three-bedroom house could have been a candidate for a Mid-Century Modern makeover with streamlined furnishings. Or with its desert-landscaped front, it could have carried off a Mexican/Southwestern look, like the couple's previous home.

Instead, Emmerling turned it into a desert beach-house retreat with white walls and an oversize great room looking out to the backyard pool. Emmerling, who grew up in Washington, D.C., and is former creative director of Country Home magazine, has always loved the beach.

Her warm, inviting decor is a combination of styles, including cottage, Country French and bling, with hints of Southwestern and coastal. It's a welcome change to the heavy Tuscan look that permeates the Valley. Emmerling is not afraid to hang crystal chandeliers above a simple wood dining table. She uses antiques as everyday items. Her collections are an intrinsic part of the decor and not enshrined in cabinets or hidden in closets. Everywhere you look there are treasures big and small to enjoy.