Five minutes for forever is a catchy Australian power pop band name, or perhaps four words that perfectly describe the moment Chanice and Spencer made a decision that would reshape their lives. Out on a hike with friends, Chanice had only a short window to view a property in Oakbank before the opportunity closed. “I said to my friends ‘we’re not going to make it’,” Chanice recalls. “And I didn’t really care at the time.” But the rest of the group did, and that was that. “I just loved the high ceilings,” she says of the moment they arrived. “I told Spencer, who was away working at the time, that we should put an offer in.” They won it.
That snap decision launched a transformation of a 1993 brick house that lacked any distinct character, beyond the soaring four-metre vaulted ceilings. The original space was a cramped two-bedroom, one-bathroom setup with a kitchen measuring just 2.6 square metres. “It was like a caravan kitchen,” Chanice recalls. The couple has technically camped in the house more times than they’d like to admit, sleeping in the elements with doors and back walls removed during the build. Daughter Banks was born during the extension phase, and material costs doubled on the other side of Covid, adding to the challenges.
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Chanice credits their success to a refusal to compromise. When the local council tried forcing the extension back seven metres from the street, she argued that other houses in the area were only three metres back and won the dispute. The result is a four-bedroom home described as “Mid-century meets Japandi inspired by Bali.” It features a custom DIY micro cement bench seat and steel bi-folds made by the couple, along with their own brand of Oakbank linen curtains. “It’s spacey, earthy, has high ceilings, a huge kitchen and custom furniture,” Chanice says. “It’s just us and you can’t buy it from a store.”
The project did more than create a beautiful home; it built a platform. What started as a place to document their renovation journey on Instagram has become a business. The account, @Oakbankreno, has amassed a following of more than 77,000 users. “We really discovered our love for design, building and creating,” Chanice tells Place Journal. “So much so I believe it has inspired our future careers.” Spencer has since returned from the mines, and the family now occupies the completed structure.
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Chanice and Spencer shared what they learned during the process. The first lesson is about research. “Learn at least a little bit about every trade and finish,” Chanice advises. Having knowledge makes project management easier and saves money and time. They also recommend doing things cheap, doing them twice, and never compromising on a gut feeling. “If it’s something you want, you have to do it otherwise you’ll never be satisfied with the end result.”
Designing a home that reflects personal taste often requires a hands-on approach. The couple’s ability to handle complex building regulations while managing a growing family demonstrates their commitment. They transformed a dated property into a sanctuary that balances functionality with aesthetic appeal. The DIY elements, from the steel bi-folds to the linen curtains, add a unique touch that cannot be found in standard developments. This personal investment has paid off, creating a legacy that extends beyond the physical structure.
