Designing with Scale and Proportion: Ellicott Terrace Spec Home

Ellicott Terrace is a spec home, but from the very beginning, we treated it as if it were a custom commission. At Storie, we believe scale and proportion are what distinguish the ordinary from the extraordinary. In this project, the sweep of a stairwell, the thickness of a marble slab, and the drop of a pendant fixture all became tools to transform a new build into a home that feels warm, architectural, and lasting.

Where many spec homes rely on neutrality alone, we leaned into restraint with intention—using warm woods, veined stone, and sculptural gestures to give Ellicott Terrace presence. The result is a house that balances timeless calm with the clarity of strong proportion.

Kitchen: Scale Through Mass and Material

The kitchen is the heart of Ellicott Terrace, and its design is grounded in proportion.

• Cabinetry: Full-height stained oak cabinetry rises all the way to the crown, extending the eye upward and eliminating any wasted visual space. Slim, elongated brass pulls punctuate the verticals, their length proportioned to balance the cabinetry’s height.

• Stonework: Honed marble wraps the island and backsplash in wide, veined slabs. The thickness of the stone was chosen deliberately—substantial enough to feel architectural, yet restrained enough to remain elegant.

• Lighting: Two broad pendants drop low above the island. Their generous shade diameter matches the island’s length, anchoring the workspace and defining scale in a subtle but impactful way.

Dining Room: Formality Balanced by Proportion

The dining room shows how scale can create formality without stiffness.

• Architectural Envelope: Paneled walls painted in a muted green-gray wrap the room. The millwork’s generous spacing elongates the walls and adds rhythm, keeping the formality approachable.

• The Table: A single, substantial dining table defines the space. Its weight is balanced by slender upholstered chairs that offer contrast in scale and softness.

• Lighting: Above, a chandelier of clustered globes provides both sculpture and light. Its width is proportioned to the table beneath it, unifying furniture and architecture.

Bathrooms: Architecture in the Details

Scale continues into the bathrooms, where proportion guides every detail.

• Vanity: Deep oak cabinetry grounds the space, topped with marble counters cut in broad slabs. Tall, vertical sconces rest atop the mirror, reinforcing the vertical rhythm of the cabinetry.

• Tub and Shower: A freestanding tub is placed in front of tall windows, its mass balanced by a brass filler scaled to match its proportions. The arched shower entry introduces vertical drama, giving the room an architectural gesture rather than a decorative flourish.

Stairwell: A Sculptural Sweep

At Ellicott Terrace, even circulation became an opportunity for design. The stairwell is a sculptural centerpiece, defined by its sweep and scale.

• The Curve: The plaster balustrade arcs upward in one continuous gesture, scaled to feel generous and sculptural. Its smooth surface softens the geometry of the architecture.

• Lighting: A five-globe alabaster chandelier descends on a long chain. The fixture’s drop brings light to human scale within the tall volume, making the stairwell feel inhabited rather than empty.

• Paneling: Subtle millwork along the stairwell walls reinforces rhythm and depth, proportioned to echo the rise of the stairs.

Lighting as Architecture

Lighting throughout Ellicott Terrace was chosen as much for its proportion as its glow.

• Dining Pendant: Scaled wide enough to ground the length of the table.

• Living Room Chandelier: Broad in reach but visually light, balancing ceiling height with intimacy.

• Globe Fixtures: Repeated globe pendants connect stairwell and circulation areas, creating rhythm across spaces.

Ellicott Terrace is proof that a spec home can carry the same intentionality as a private commission. By treating scale as our guiding principle—whether in cabinetry, stone, stairwells, or lighting—we created a house that feels grounded, warm, and quietly architectural. This project demonstrates that when scale is right, neutrality becomes rich, restraint becomes luxurious, and even a spec home can feel timeless.