John Blueher is proud of his reputation for constructing well-built houses, but the owner of Blueher Abodes says it makes him far happier to hear his clients say he builds a home, not just a house. If you ask him what makes the difference, he says it’s not just one thing. For starters, each Blueher home, whether Prairie style or Southwestern or European in design, has a common thread of finely finished details, evoking a sense of home, no small task in the often large projects the builder tackles. Many of Blueher’s projects are exclusive homes involving exacting detail. One such daunting job was the custom crafted metal stair railing set into granite pavers in the High Desert home of Scott and Pam Garrett, former owners of New Mexico Sports and Wellness and current owners of Manzano Mountain Retreat.

Recalls Blueher, “I think the guys had to come out three, maybe four times to get it right.” They had to make sure the pavers were exactly cut to specifications and the holes drilled perfectly for the bolts. To ensure that the granite didn’t come in contact with the metal, Blueher added rubber bushings between the stone and the metal.
The dramatic circular stairway in the entrance of the gracious home is framed by a hand-hewn rock wall with curved double-paned windows, capturing the sun’s movement across the wall. An elegant living area with wall-to-wall windows takes in close Sandia mountain views. Leave the main entry area, however, and the entertaining-friendly house becomes a comfortable family home. Ensuring that the framing crew carefully followed the window placement of architect Mark Rohde, Blueher captured mountain and city views throughout the home, even from the laundry room and master closet.