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This is going to be a very long question for what may be a simple yes or no answer.

I am in the process of creating a fairly elaborate gaming surface. It's basically a shell that fits on top of a billiard table. And since it's in a fairly prominent area of our bar, I'm going to have a cabinetmaker match the trim to the pool table beneath it. The actual gaming surfaces will drop into the shell to facilitate changes in the terrain. I am planning deset and urban to start with.

But I got to thinking about true scale and other "levels" of realism in the game, and I had an alternative concept that I'm wondering if anyone has done before. I'm wondering if anyone has painted their miniatures in a much more abstract style like statues or chessmen. I'm not talking about just priming them. I mean making them look like super elaborate game pieces. This aesthetic could extend to terrain as well...much more geometric or iconic representations of bunkers, trees, buildings, etc, and they would all look either like wood or plastic.

I'm thinking either make them look like an heirloom chess set, or make it look like a war map where generals plot strategies by moving little shapes around a lighted table with sticks.

Has anyone done this? 40k has such a large user base that I have yet to come up with an idea that is truly unique.

Haven't done it but I really like your idea. Like a more grown up way to play 40k.
Maybe have the surface made in glass? Would even more transmit the luxury feeling IMO.

I think a faux marbled paint scheme would be sweet.

Well, back when 40k first came out the minis were more like chess-pieces (i.e. unform), but have become more elaborate since. If you want to play a tabletop strategy game more like the generals moving around rectangles with symbols on them etc. you're better off with Epic aren't you?

I like it! Make it work and throw something else into the mix

Thanks for the replies. I am fielding CSMs and Nids, but I have a Canoness and a GK captain I could experiment on. Stay tuned.