Honest Abe Living Magazine is a Free Interactive Monthly Magazine Filled with Engaging Content
Honest Abe Log Homes, the designer and manufacturer of cabins and timber frames sold and built by Serenity Log Homes, publishes its free magazine, Honest Abe Living, online monthly.
The interactive publication is filled with stories, photos, interviews, news, announcements and product information. Click on this link at the first of each month to see the new issue.
You’ll be able to watch videos, download articles and tip sheets, take 3-D tours and more.
You can share it with others via email or social media. You may also download, print or read online issues of magazine to your computer or mobile device.
Check back regularly for new issues, and enjoy the library that includes many years of Honest Abe publications and magazines by clicking the magazine cover.
Below you may read some examples of the kinds of materials in Honest Abe Living. Be sure to visit Honest Abe Living regularly for each month’s new articles.
Creating the Ultimate Outdoor Lakeside Living Space
Owning a log home is more than just having a place to stay. It's about embracing nature, relaxation and outdoor living. Whether you envision peaceful mornings with coffee on the porch, lively gatherings around a fire pit or a fully equipped outdoor kitchen, your...
Eco-Friendly Building: How to Make Your Log or Timber Frame Home Sustainable
Building a log or timber frame home is not just about creating a beautiful and durable structure—it’s also an opportunity to embrace eco-friendly building practices that reduce environmental impact and improve energy efficiency. With sustainable materials,...
The Difference Between Log Homes and Timber Frame Homes: Which is Best for You?
When considering a custom-built home that blends natural beauty with timeless craftsmanship, log homes and timber frame homes are two of the most popular choices. While both offer rustic elegance and durability, they differ significantly in construction, energy...
Why the Log Profile You Choose is Important
When it comes to building a log home, one of the most important decisions you'll make is selecting the log profile and corner style that best suits your vision and lifestyle. These features not only affect the overall appearance of your home but also play a role in...
Building a Log or Timber Frame Home Near Water
There’s something incredibly special about living near water. Whether it's a tranquil lake, a peaceful river, or the vast expanse of the ocean, a home by the water offers a lifestyle like no other. Combining the natural beauty of the landscape with the rustic charm of...
Designing a Timber Frame Home with a Modern Touch
Rustic Elegance Meets Modern Design Timber frame homes have long been admired for their timeless beauty, strength, and connection to nature. While traditional designs often embrace a fully rustic aesthetic, today’s homeowners are increasingly blending modern elements...
The Health Benefits of Living in a Log Home
For centuries, log homes have been cherished for their timeless beauty and rustic charm. But beyond their aesthetic appeal, log homes offer significant health benefits that contribute to a better quality of life. From enhanced air quality to reduced stress levels,...
Pest Prevention in Log Homes
How to Keep Termites and Bugs Away Log homes offer warmth, charm, and a deep connection to nature, but they also require special care to prevent pest infestations. From termites to carpenter ants and beetles, wood-eating insects can cause significant damage to log...
Best Stains and Sealants for Protecting Your Log Home
A log home is a significant investment, offering warmth, beauty, and a connection to nature that traditional homes simply can’t match. However, maintaining the integrity and aesthetics of your log home requires careful attention to its exterior. The right stain and...
Top Log Home Design Trends for 2025
Log homes have long been cherished for their warmth, charm, and connection to nature. As we move into 2025, evolving trends in design, technology, and sustainability are shaping the way log homes are built and styled. Whether you're planning to build your dream log...
How Foundation Choices Impact the Longevity and Maintenance of Log and Timber Frame Homes
Building a log or timber frame home is an investment in beauty, tradition, and durability. However, the longevity and maintenance of these homes depend significantly on one critical decision—choosing the right foundation. A well-designed foundation not only supports...
Planning for a Swimming Pool and Bathhouse for Your Log Home
A log home offers a warm and rustic retreat, but adding a swimming pool and bathhouse can take your outdoor living experience to the next level. Whether you’re looking to create a backyard oasis for relaxation or an entertainment hub for family and friends, thoughtful...
What to Consider When Building a Second Kitchen for Selling Food Online
The rise of home-based food businesses has led many homeowners to consider adding a second kitchen for producing and selling food online. Whether you’re an aspiring baker, a specialty food maker, or a meal prep entrepreneur, setting up a dedicated commercial-style...
How to Design the Ultimate Home Rec Room on a Family’s Budget
A home recreation room is the perfect space for bringing family and friends together. Whether it’s for game nights, movie marathons, or simply a place to unwind, a well-designed rec room can add value to a home and enhance everyday living. However, creating an...
Must-Have Mudrooms for a Log Home
For homeowners who embrace the charm and functionality of a log home, a well-designed mudroom is more than just a convenience—it’s a necessity. Especially in rural settings where nature is at your doorstep, a mudroom serves as a vital transition space between the...
Light and Bright Log Homes
Many people assume that log homes are dark inside, but with the right design choices, they can be just as bright and airy as any modern home. Natural wood has a warm, inviting feel, and with careful planning, you can maximize natural light and create an open, luminous...
Maximizing Space, Storage and Protection
A well-designed pantry is essential in any home, but in a log home, where rustic aesthetics meet functionality, it becomes even more critical. Homeowners need innovative solutions to maximize space, organize essentials, and keep food fresh while ensuring a...
Unique and Practical Uses for Log Home Dormers
Dormers add character and architectural interest to log and timber homes, offering both aesthetic charm and functional benefits. While they enhance the exterior with their distinct shapes and styles, they also create intriguing interior spaces on the upper floors....
Can a Timber Frame Home feel like an English Cottage?
Timber frame homes offer the perfect blend of old-world craftsmanship and modern construction techniques. For homeowners looking to capture the cozy, picturesque feel of a traditional English cottage while incorporating modern materials such as structural insulated...
Designing the Perfect Craft or Hobby Room in Your Log Home
A log home offers a unique and inviting space for creativity, making it the perfect setting for a dedicated craft or hobby room. Whether you love painting, woodworking, quilting, or any other hands-on activity, having a well-designed space tailored to your needs can...
Developing a Log Home Maintenance Plan
Serenity Log Homes offers a maintenance service that inspects, repairs, cleans, restores and refurbishes your log home or any log structures. Let us provide you with a proposal for your home today. Learn more about our services here. Regular Inspections Routine...
Design Your Own “Historic” Home
How Chinking and Square Logs Can Be Manufactured, Stained and Constructed to Create a Home That Looks Like It Has Been Around for a Century or More For those who love the charm of historic log homes, modern construction techniques allow for the creation of new homes...
Why Log Construction Is a Good Alternative for Commercial Properties
Log construction is often associated with cozy cabins and residential retreats, but it also presents a compelling alternative to traditional stick-built structures for a variety of commercial properties. Businesses looking to create a distinct, durable, and...
Douglas Fir and Structural Insulated Panels Create Perfect Place
The combination of Douglas fir timber frame elements and Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) offers an exceptional balance of beauty, strength, and energy efficiency. Douglas fir’s natural strength allows for open-concept designs with stunning exposed beams, while SIPs...
Designing a Floor Plan for Aging in Place
Designing a log or timber home with aging in place in mind requires thoughtful planning to ensure comfort, safety, and long-term accessibility. Whether building a dream home for retirement or simply preparing for future needs, incorporating aging-in-place principles...
Serenity Log Homes Named Dealer of the Year 2023
Serenity Log Homes in Florence, Alabama, owned by DeWayne and Sherry Crumley, has been honored as the Honest Abe Log Homes Dealer of the Year for 2023. Since joining as Honest Abe dealers in 2017, the Crumleys have consistently expanded their dealership, driven by...
Porchsitting is Not Just a Hashtag
The porch is an important element of a home’s design and functionality, but it’s also part of American culture. On social media porches have been honored with their own hashtag – #porchsitting. Dan Stevens, who played Matthew Crawley on “Downton Abbey,” made a very...
What is a Structural Insulated Panel?
So, what is a SIP? ...and why would I want it in my new home? SIP stands for Structural Insulated Panel. While they aren’t something new they may be new to you. SIPs have been around for many years and have been used in thousands of homes and commercial...
Dining Al Fresco
The concept of open air dining is brought to log and timber home living in a variety of designs. The traditional American picnic has met its match with today’s concepts of dining in the fresh air. Gone are the days of a cooler filled with Tupperware encased foods to...
Rain Gardens are Both Beautiful and Functional
A Rain Garden is a landscape depression that can be filled with moisture-loving plants. Hidden beneath the pretty plants is a natural storm water treatment system that allows 30% more water to infiltrate into the ground. This reduces the amount of water from flowing...
Creating the Ultimate Outdoor Lakeside Living Space
Owning a log home is more than just having a place to stay. It's about embracing nature, relaxation and outdoor living. Whether you envision peaceful mornings with coffee on the porch, lively gatherings around a fire pit or a fully equipped outdoor kitchen, your...
Eco-Friendly Building: How to Make Your Log or Timber Frame Home Sustainable
Building a log or timber frame home is not just about creating a beautiful and durable structure—it’s also an opportunity to embrace eco-friendly building practices that reduce environmental impact and improve energy efficiency. With sustainable materials,...
The Difference Between Log Homes and Timber Frame Homes: Which is Best for You?
When considering a custom-built home that blends natural beauty with timeless craftsmanship, log homes and timber frame homes are two of the most popular choices. While both offer rustic elegance and durability, they differ significantly in construction, energy...
Why the Log Profile You Choose is Important
When it comes to building a log home, one of the most important decisions you'll make is selecting the log profile and corner style that best suits your vision and lifestyle. These features not only affect the overall appearance of your home but also play a role in...
Building a Log or Timber Frame Home Near Water
There’s something incredibly special about living near water. Whether it's a tranquil lake, a peaceful river, or the vast expanse of the ocean, a home by the water offers a lifestyle like no other. Combining the natural beauty of the landscape with the rustic charm of...
Designing a Timber Frame Home with a Modern Touch
Rustic Elegance Meets Modern Design Timber frame homes have long been admired for their timeless beauty, strength, and connection to nature. While traditional designs often embrace a fully rustic aesthetic, today’s homeowners are increasingly blending modern elements...
The Health Benefits of Living in a Log Home
For centuries, log homes have been cherished for their timeless beauty and rustic charm. But beyond their aesthetic appeal, log homes offer significant health benefits that contribute to a better quality of life. From enhanced air quality to reduced stress levels,...
Pest Prevention in Log Homes
How to Keep Termites and Bugs Away Log homes offer warmth, charm, and a deep connection to nature, but they also require special care to prevent pest infestations. From termites to carpenter ants and beetles, wood-eating insects can cause significant damage to log...
Best Stains and Sealants for Protecting Your Log Home
A log home is a significant investment, offering warmth, beauty, and a connection to nature that traditional homes simply can’t match. However, maintaining the integrity and aesthetics of your log home requires careful attention to its exterior. The right stain and...
Top Log Home Design Trends for 2025
Log homes have long been cherished for their warmth, charm, and connection to nature. As we move into 2025, evolving trends in design, technology, and sustainability are shaping the way log homes are built and styled. Whether you're planning to build your dream log...
How Foundation Choices Impact the Longevity and Maintenance of Log and Timber Frame Homes
Building a log or timber frame home is an investment in beauty, tradition, and durability. However, the longevity and maintenance of these homes depend significantly on one critical decision—choosing the right foundation. A well-designed foundation not only supports...
Planning for a Swimming Pool and Bathhouse for Your Log Home
A log home offers a warm and rustic retreat, but adding a swimming pool and bathhouse can take your outdoor living experience to the next level. Whether you’re looking to create a backyard oasis for relaxation or an entertainment hub for family and friends, thoughtful...
What to Consider When Building a Second Kitchen for Selling Food Online
The rise of home-based food businesses has led many homeowners to consider adding a second kitchen for producing and selling food online. Whether you’re an aspiring baker, a specialty food maker, or a meal prep entrepreneur, setting up a dedicated commercial-style...
How to Design the Ultimate Home Rec Room on a Family’s Budget
A home recreation room is the perfect space for bringing family and friends together. Whether it’s for game nights, movie marathons, or simply a place to unwind, a well-designed rec room can add value to a home and enhance everyday living. However, creating an...
Must-Have Mudrooms for a Log Home
For homeowners who embrace the charm and functionality of a log home, a well-designed mudroom is more than just a convenience—it’s a necessity. Especially in rural settings where nature is at your doorstep, a mudroom serves as a vital transition space between the...
Light and Bright Log Homes
Many people assume that log homes are dark inside, but with the right design choices, they can be just as bright and airy as any modern home. Natural wood has a warm, inviting feel, and with careful planning, you can maximize natural light and create an open, luminous...
Maximizing Space, Storage and Protection
A well-designed pantry is essential in any home, but in a log home, where rustic aesthetics meet functionality, it becomes even more critical. Homeowners need innovative solutions to maximize space, organize essentials, and keep food fresh while ensuring a...
Unique and Practical Uses for Log Home Dormers
Dormers add character and architectural interest to log and timber homes, offering both aesthetic charm and functional benefits. While they enhance the exterior with their distinct shapes and styles, they also create intriguing interior spaces on the upper floors....
Can a Timber Frame Home feel like an English Cottage?
Timber frame homes offer the perfect blend of old-world craftsmanship and modern construction techniques. For homeowners looking to capture the cozy, picturesque feel of a traditional English cottage while incorporating modern materials such as structural insulated...
Designing the Perfect Craft or Hobby Room in Your Log Home
A log home offers a unique and inviting space for creativity, making it the perfect setting for a dedicated craft or hobby room. Whether you love painting, woodworking, quilting, or any other hands-on activity, having a well-designed space tailored to your needs can...