KellCo Raises the Bar Again

By DWAIN HEBDA // Photos Provided

In the luxury homes marketplace, it’s getting harder and harder to stand out with a residential creation that truly represents the pinnacle of design and function. But that’s just the kind of challenge Tracie Kelley loves to sink her professional teeth into.

Kelley, president and CEO of KellCo Custom Homes, has built a stellar reputation for setting a high bar in the masterwork creations her company designs and builds. She maintains her status as one of Little Rock’s premier builders, thanks to her drive to constantly improve and push the envelope.

“I’m always eager to step it up and raise my own bar,” Kelley said. “I don’t build something just to sell something. My passion for custom home building extends far beyond ordinary. Each home that I design reflects a distinct character that is often hard to find in today’s homes.”

Kelley and team’s latest effort, Hallan Estate, stretches the bounds of imagination when it comes to high-end appointments, tasteful design and top-quality materials, which combine for the ultimate wow factor. Simply put, the highly anticipated and ultra-exclusive home represents the highest expression of the builder’s art.

“Hallen Estate is such an amazing home and on so many levels,” Kelley said. “I believe every home carries a testimony within, and Hallen Estate has something very powerful. I’ve been unbelievably blessed to have the opportunity to build this special home. I’m giving God all the glory.”

Few words can adequately describe the impression the striking home imparts; even at first glance, you know the place has few equals in the local market. The building’s exterior commands attention at once, having expertly paired multiple building materials into a symphony for the senses. Steel roofing and iron railings contrast the light granite shell, while just the right touch of wood lends warmth to the stunning profile.

The home stands out, obviously, yet at the same time somehow manages to accentuate the regal environment that surrounds it in its pristine Chenal Valley neighborhood. Kelley said the tranquil natural backdrop provided the perfect palette and inspiration for her masterpiece.

“I love and appreciate the consistency and powerful aesthetics Chenal Valley offers its residents,” she said. “Chenal offers something different; it’s special all on its own, and that’s totally my drive.”

Innovation and style abound throughout Hallan Estate, brought together in a way where form complements function. Consider lighting, as an example – Kelley said her favorite elements of the structure are the massive custom-made Pella windows, which provide what she described as a “sleek and sassy” architectural aesthetic. But combine them with illumination by the super luxe lighting features, and the windows are transformed, dazzlingly saturated with a warm, rich glow against the velvety Arkansas night sky.

“Lighting styles in a home say a lot,” Kelley said. “Luxurious lighting throughout a home offers uniqueness and enhances architectural allure. Emotionally, a home filled with light exudes much joy.”

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Beyond the aesthetics and ambiance, the LED lighting found throughout also feeds into the home’s overall energy efficiency, as do other elements of the construction. Hallen Estate features insulated metal roofing, which reflects sunlight up and away from the home rather than absorbing it, making the home easier to cool. The internal environment is kept at optimal temperature by a high-efficiency HVAC system by Energy Air, Inc.

Inside, the appointments are second to none and brought together seamlessly to reflect modern design that’s still comfortable. Thus does thermal white oak hardwood flooring mesh seamlessly with 16-light matte-black modern chandeliers and exotic Quartzites and stone countertops meld with deep-grained hickory cabinets. Such craftsmanship comes at a cost, of course, but for Kelley high-end is the standard — she’ll either build the very best or she won’t build it at all.

“It truly takes getting out of your comfort zone to make the unique happen,” she said. “I like to keep things stirred up. Who wants what everyone else has? Boring. Boring. Boring.”

When pressed, Kelley points to the kitchen and family room as her two favorites in the home, and it’s hard to argue. The aforementioned kitchen cabinetry – stained using a white-wash method, back wiped through different applications – displays the woodgrain as high art, set off by the black kitchen island with dramatic countertop, dark backsplash and silver appliances.

The gourmet kitchen transitions into the family room, anchored by a grand, linear fireplace stacked with granite stones, equally ideal for elegant entertaining down or an ordinary Friday movie night with the family.

In many homes, outdoor spaces are an afterthought; even in some luxury models, patios and other living areas can feel tacked on. Not so at Hallan Estate, where the level of attention to detail and quality of design rivals lesser projects’ main living interiors.

“Exceptional designs have no boundaries,” Kelley said. “With so many folks working from home today, who wants to feel trapped inside? I decided to take these spaces to the next level and just go for it.”

The result is a collection of open spaces, entertainment patios, flex rooms, outdoor kitchens and in-ground pools softened by greenspaces. The precision of the landscaping is such that even hardscape has an architectural feel to it. As much as the interior has to offer, one can easily imagine Hallan Estate’s outdoor spaces to be the most-used and bestloved by its occupants.

To look upon a finished project such as Hallan Estate, which has come together so beautifully, it’s easy to forget how much work, planning and coordination it takes to pull off such a endeavor. The unforeseen happens on every build, large or small, and as Kelley noted, the bigger the prize the steeper the climb.

“There will always be challenges to occur. It’s the nature of the beast,” she said. “As a general contractor, we’ve witnessed and faced numerous and unprecedented changes within the industry, especially over the past couple of years. To say they can be challenging is merely an understatement. We must be realistic and understand the process of building a custom home will always include bumps along the way.

“Be nice to your builder, and trust their advice; a great builder is an expert who will do everything possible to keep calm through the chaos. It’s important that clients trust they hired the right builder and trust in our ability to execute, even through the chaos. And remember, sometimes it’s best to stay out of the kitchen until the final product is ready.”

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It would be a stretch to say anyone who saw Kelley playing in the lumber yard of Mechanics Lumber Company in North Little Rock, where her father was employed, could imagine the tyke would grow into the real estate force she is today. But from that tender age, Kelley has always clung to a firm sense of self and an inviolate code of ethics, even as the different chapters of her professional and personal life unfolded.

“Having a family background in the real estate and construction industry inspired me at an early age,” she said in a 2019 Power Women profile in Arkansas Money & Politics. “I started as a one-woman home-based operation, which launched in 1994. Today, I have grown to employ a collaborative team devoted to providing an unwavering commitment to exceptional services within all aspects of my corporations.

“Maintaining a strong will to push forward and staying focused on the individual needs of my clients certainly wasn’t learned in any textbook, but by great work ethic and self-discipline, which has resulted in over 25 years of industry experience and success.

Today, in addition to KellCo Custom Homes, the enterprising Kelley is also president and CEO of KellCo Real Estate and Energy Air Inc. During her career, many doubted a woman could ascend to the top of such male-dominated industries, but it never occurred to Kelley that she couldn’t do just that. She said she’s drawn inspiration and fortitude from other successful women.

“Strong women build other women and rejoice in their successes, as opposed to seeing others as a threat,” she said in a 2020 AY About You article in 2020. “I admire a strong woman who carries a positive attitude and who has balance in her life and is able to overcome obstacles,” she said.

“I try to emulate those women who are strong-minded, independent and driven by a cause, while maintaining a soft-hearted and compassionate approach to reach beyond our cookie-cutter lives and make a difference in the lives of others.”

Besides the quality of the finished product, it’s the personal attention and ownership Kelley takes in her projects that have endeared her to many satisfied clients. A tireless work ethic, a devotion to her craft and an intolerance for doublespeak are all personality traits familiar to those who know her. If you want to know what she thinks, simply ask, but be prepared to hear the truth.

“A builder should be someone who lives up to the client’s expectations while keeping it real,” she said. “I’m a builder who can guide you with stability and leadership –– particularly in today’s market –– and I’m a builder whose emotions don’t fluctuate like the price of lumber.”

With Hallan Estate, Kelley has crafted a new high point in an already storied career, but it’s a dangerous thing to call any creation of KellCo Custom Homes the pinnacle of the homebuilder’s craft. After all, that suggests there can never be a project to top it, and Kelley has been disproving that thinking her entire life. No matter how grand, how technically challenging, how energy-efficient or how groundbreaking her latest project, there is always the opportunity to top it the next time out.

“I’ve been surrounded and loved by a multitude of intelligent and powerful people who have taught me so much, and through my companies, I have surrounded myself with the very best,” she said. “Our success stems from the dedication and hard work of the builder and the quality of our subcontractors and suppliers.”

With these resources at her back, Kelley is diving into designing and building the next chapters of her company through homes in Chenal Valley and other neighborhoods throughout her footprint of Little Rock, Sherwood, North Little Rock, Conway and Greers Ferry.

“KellCo has a focus on design for the needs of each family, while providing a unique modern, transitional and traditional aesthetic to those who dare to be different,” she said. “I get excited with each and every home as if it were my very first.”