Kevin Walsh and Susan Walsh

Tucked snugly in Little Rock's Riverdale Design District, Bear-Hill Interiors is an intoxicating shopping experience. Inside the vine-covered building, their carefully selected beautiful, transitional furnishings and accessories exude classic elegance and a sometimes slightly edgy quality, thanks to an unexpected fabric, a cool vintage element or a lighthearted pattern. Objects are presented so evocatively, you'll feel immediately connected to them, which is just what designers Kevin Walsh and Susan Walsh strive for, whether in the store or working for clients.

The siblings are actually two of eight children born in Springfield, Missouri. Even at an early age, Kevin remembers their mother ensuring that the arts were part of their education. “I can remember going to the art center in Springfield as a young boy. It made quite an impression on me,” he says. “And our mother was artistic. She painted and sewed. We had really elaborate Halloween costumes!”

After the family relocated to Hot Springs, both Kevin and Susan attended Arkansas State University, but then their paths diverged. Susan spent seven years working for Polo/Ralph Lauren and then obtained her interior design degree in upstate New York, while Kevin spent several years in the banking industry before opening his own salon, Walsh & Company, in Little Rock's Hillcrest neighborhood. However, nine years ago, Kevin began taking on design clients—working out of the guest bedroom of his home—and in December 2000, he and partner Brett Pitts opened Bear-Hill Interiors, and Susan joined the team.

Because the store is often the first glimpse clients have of their work, it's important to Kevin that it accurately represents their design aesthetic. “We wanted strong architecture and beautiful furniture, and then we finish with one-of-a-kind vintage pieces to create vignettes,” he says. When they begin working with a client, getting to know them intimately is the first step. “It really begins by trying to get into their head, to see who they are and how they live,” Kevin says. “It's really a lot like an interview,” Susan continues, “asking questions, getting a sense of the client's needs and assessing the situation.”

It's this personal focus on each client as an individual and the top-notch customer service that results that have made Bear-Hill Interiors a real success. “When you're a small business you absolutely have to take care of your clients,” Susan says. Working closely with their clients on every step of a project, from sprucing up a single room to designing from the ground up, not only ensures that the end result is free of unpleasant surprises, but also creates a close, personal relationship. “I'm so close to my clients, and I've become extremely connected not only to their projects, but also their families,” Kevin says.