Cody Weightman: Inside my home renovation

Like its owner – a professional AFL footballer and artist – this converted warehouse home has a lively and colourful character. An offbeat space to suit his creative spirit was exactly what Western Bulldogs player Cody Weightman wanted.

“I like things that are a bit different and have their own energy, and that’s what I find with converted warehouses. I feel like they’ve lived a life before they were a home, and they’ve got a bit more character,” he says.

After engaging interior designer Jess Bettenay of By R.A, he became intrigued by interior design as “a whole new version of art”. Their initial conversation about styling tweaks rapidly evolved into plans for a larger-scale project, including a brand-new kitchen. “Before I knew it, we were in full demo mode!”

At a glance: How did Cody Weightman do his home renovation?

• Enlisting an interior design expert: Working with interior designer Jess Bettenay, Cody turned a converted warehouse into a vibrant home that reflects his creative energy.
• Installing a Kaboodle Kitchen: The kitchen was built using Kaboodle cabinetry custom‑sprayed in Dulux Indian Red, a pink natural stone benchtop/splashback, and a stainless steel clad island. The layout was shaped with Bunnings in-store kitchen expert Arlo.
• Bedroom wardrobes: The bedroom features wall‑to‑wall timber‑look Lugna wardrobes for clothes and trainers.
• Bathroom tiles: The bathroom tiles were repainted in the same wine‑red and paired with leftover pink stone for cohesion.
• Converted garage to studio: The art studio was a former garage where they added colour using rugs and smart storage.
• Laundry update: The laundry combines Kaboodle Licorice Twist cabinets with pink stone; shallow drawers keep tools and art supplies ordered. 

Cody’s wishlist for a redesigned kitchen

While the existing kitchen was tidy enough, it didn’t quite fit the vision Cody and Jess dreamed up for his home. The kitchen needed to be:

The Kaboodle cabinets allowed a level of customisation, giving Cody an opportunity to channel his passion for colour. “It’s so cool to be able to take a plain object and then flair it up with your own vibe,” says Cody. He had the cabinets custom sprayed in Dulux Indian Red, matched with a heavily veined natural stone benchtop and splashback in striking pink. 

For the island, Cody took a Kaboodle cabinet carcass and gave it an industrial-style glow-up, cloaking the unit in robust stainless steel.

• Reviewed by a kitchen expert

The complete overhaul of the kitchen took Cody deep into uncharted territory. “I’d never had to think about the functionality of a kitchen and where the bin and the fridge would go,” he says. “In-store kitchen expert Arlo at Bunnings created a virtual kitchen and helped out with an abundance of knowledge, pointing me in the right direction to make the best liveable space.” 

How Cody added personal style to his home

The rest of the home also received a mix of functional and decorative tweaks, including:

“I have a lot of clothes, I love shoes, and the wardrobe the house came with was tiny,” Cody says. Cue a trip back to Bunnings, where kitchen guru Arlo helped to design wall-to-wall timber-look Lugna cabinets to store all Cody’s outfits – including his epic collection of trainers. A mix of cupboards and drawers satisfy his storage requirements, while small overhead cupboards add height. “It’s got a little void at the top, which offers space for plants to hang over.”

Also on the reno list was the bathroom, which was functionally fine, but too sterile for Cody’s taste! Dulux tile paint turned the neutral tiles the same wine red as the kitchen, paired with a slab of leftover pink stone.

How did Cody design his art studio?

Downstairs, the former garage space has been converted into Cody’s studio. This dedicated space for art reflects its importance in Cody’s life – art and footy are his twin passions. 

• Setting the tone: The cold concrete floors and block walls warmed by washes of colour – rugs underfoot, the new laundry space (a combination of Kaboodle Licorice Twist cabinets and pink natural stone) and Cody’s own canvases.
• Storage: Tool storage keeps his art materials ordered – the shallow drawers house his collection of pens, paints and craft supplies.

 

What personal touches did Cody add to his home?

D.I.Y. has become a similarly creative outlet; Cody has worked with Bunnings to create small-scale projects that sit at the intersection of art and D.I.Y., and are stamped with his signature style: urban, upbeat and unexpected. He shows an inclination for out-of-the-box thinking, presenting raw materials in unexpected ways: 

• An LED bar light, spray painted, fitted with a red light and hung on the wall, is an edgy inclusion.
• An outdoor egg chair gets a playful upgrade, hung from the ceiling; and offset stacked render bricks are turned into a sculptural coffee table. “It’s a really nice feeling, having something that you’ve created and put your own energy into – and I think you get that energy back when you look at it,” he says.
• D.I.Y. plant projects are a recurring theme, too. “Putting plants in a house straightaway makes it feel like a home,” he says. One’s eye is drawn to the unexpected: a basketball turned into a planter, and the concrete coffee table with a snake plant sprouting startlingly from a hole cut in its centre! 

From the colourful to the quirky, the finished renovation is a manifestation of Cody’s joyful personality. “Now it’s such a different space, and it feels uniquely mine, which is really cool.”

Keep in mind…

• Paint colours may vary on application.

Looking for ways to give your home an upgrade?

Check out our article on twenty easy kitchen and bathroom renovation ideas.

 

Photo credit: Adrian Lander.