This Shell Styling Trick Has Made My Small Bathroom Feel Designer – It's Chic, Coastal-Inspired and Holds All My Toilet Paper

I’ve always believed that the smallest styling details can make the biggest impact – especially in bathrooms, where storage and beauty have to coexist.

When I finished my small bathroom remodel, top of my list was finding a stylish and discreet way to store toilet paper that was handy for guests to grab – and allowed me to get a little creative.

It wasn't until I spotted Lucy Williams' cozy-meets-coastal bathroom that I knew I had the answer. So, I decided to take a cue from her look and found a way to make it practical too: using a large clamshell bowl perched on a vintage stool to hold toilet rolls. It’s such a simple idea, but it completely transformed the space.

There's something so chic about Lucy Williams' shell setup that just spoke to me, and I was instantly inspired.

Whether you’re drawn to the coastal aesthetic or just want something stylish to add to the decor, in my opinion, a shell bowl is the perfect accent piece.

In fact, my bathroom is far from coastal in its design. It has paneled butter yellow walls, terracotta tiles, and a traditional high tank toilet complete with a pull chain. So it adds a totally unexpected, conversation-sparking element to my powder room that I (and my guests) love.

It’s these sweet and subtle decorative moments that make bathrooms feel curated rather than utilitarian. Something like a shell bowl adds both form and function – it’s beautiful on its own, but when it’s filled with rolled towels, toiletries, mini soaps, or sponges, it feels intentional.

The sculptural shape and organic texture of the shell add a layer of interest, softening the clean lines of tile or stone with something tactile and natural.

So, I dragged in one of my many vintage bobbin stools (I've got a thrifting problem, but for brand new, I love the Barley Accent Stool from Joon Loloi) and set about trying to find the perfect shell.

I went down a serious rabbit hole searching for something that felt sculptural and substantial, but still soft enough to complement the bathroom’s calm, neutral palette.

There are so many beautiful options out there, from natural stone designs to resin replicas that look like the real thing. I love that each one brings a slightly different mood: glossy white shells lend a coastal-luxe feel, while rough-textured or aged finishes add that timeless, found-object quality.

Shop Decorative Shell Bowls

Whether you style yours on a mini stool like I did, rest it on a shelf filled with bath salts, or use it as a catch-all for rolled towels and sponges, a decorative shell instantly adds warmth and personality to even the most functional corners.

Below, I’ve rounded up some of my favorite clam shell bowls and coastal-inspired decor pieces that make this look easy to recreate at home.

I’ve always found that bathrooms benefit from small moments of softness – a counterbalance to all the hard surfaces and clean lines. This simple styling idea captures that perfectly, adding texture and personality in a way that is both pretty and practical.