Homeowner Who Removed Internet-Famous Shell Sink Speaks Out Amid Backlash

One mourning Twitter user said: "Shell sink, gone but never forgotten."

A bathroom remodel at a family home in Tennessee has sparked global debate online.

Cassie Stone, 41, lives in East Tennessee and shared a TikTok video of her bathroom remodel on January 8.

Stone decided to update her daughter's bathroom after three years living in their dream home. Replacing the entire suite, she removed the old 1980s shell sink and replaced it with a modern alternative.

But when screen grabs of the renovation made their way to Twitter, this change was not well received.

"Electric chair," said the viral Tweet by @PewPeeew alongside pictures of the video. With 14 million views, people around the world have been sharing their thoughts on the loss of the one-of-a-kind sink.

"That shell sink could've of been the statement piece of that restroom," said disappointed Twitter user @mimosasonrack. While @orchidsboat said: "People really have zero taste."

The family bought their lakeside home in 2019, knowing that it would be their forever home. A three-story lake house that has only been partially renovated, it is a big project that Stone is sharing on her social media as they create their dream space.

"I hated the shell sink from the moment I saw it," Stone told Newsweek. "Every bathroom in our house has one. In fact, two of the bathrooms have two of them."

The bathroom itself is attached to their daughter's bedroom and Stone explained that she wanted to give her the choice on what to do with the space.

"It's hers and hers alone," she said. "She wanted gray, white, and modern. So that's what we gave her. She loves it and so do we. I stand by the reno."

For the last week, the now famous shell sink has been a point of conversation from people decrying the choice to remove it, to others who agreed that it had to go.

It's far from the first time a decor choice has gained viral attention. The bathroom renovation is the latest in a long line of posts showing the "before and after" of homes for the world to share its opinion on, whether they be a hotly debated gray-makeover on hardwood floors or removing original coving to create a smooth modern look on a home's exterior.

These renovations have even led to the suggestion that people who dislike the original features in a home should live somewhere else.

"I feel like the main issue is why are all these people who clearly hate period-style homes buying them and permanently stripping them of character and history, when they could just buy a ready-made blank slate home instead?" suggested Twitter user @nattykasambala.

"I think if someone wants to spend their own money on a home—they can do with it whatever they please. We didn't buy our home because it was an older home, we bought it because we wanted to be on the lake and wanted to make it our own," said Stone.

Interiors expert Nicki Rodriguez from @essexhousedolly said that she is constantly amazed by others' entitlement to comment on personal decor choices.

Jealous individuals

"I do not and will never understand why people who do not live in your four walls feel they have the right to express an opinion," she told Newsweek. "I put this down heavily to social media allowing viewers to post their comments. I also think the world we live in today sadly has a lot of individuals who are either very jealous, or think they are interior experts due to a lot of home interior programs on TV."

"It's been a great conversation at the dinner table for us, that's for sure," said Stone after learning that the bathroom renovation had sparked such debate. "I'm still shocked that so many people would even care enough to make it a talking point—of all the issues going on in the world? It's a bit bizarre."

One Twitter user suggested that the love/hate relationship the internet has with the infamous shell sink was simply about trends.

"This is such a generational divide," wrote @silvengremlin. "Every person saying shell sink is tacky just grew up in the 80s and wants a greige home. Tackiness is so subjective it's essentially just 'what I grew up with and I'm tired of seeing.'"

"Trends will always be there and they do tend to repeat the cycle. At the moment gold is very much back on trend, which was the must-have back in the 80s. Patterns, colors and finishes will always come and go," said Rodriguez.

Stone explained that she understands why people have made a talking-point out of her new bathroom, but said there was an important line to draw.

"I think if someone puts it out there in the world, it is completely fair for others to voice their opinion. It doesn't mean anyone will care to hear it, but it's certainly appropriate to have one," she said. "How boring would the world be if we all had the same taste and likes? However, what's not appropriate or fair is to resort to cyberbullying, harassing, verbally attacking someone and wishing harm or death on them, which is what some have chosen to do."

'Be kind'

"You can disagree with something and just scroll past it, but if it makes you feel better to express yourself—the least one can do is be kind about it."

Not all of the social media comments disagreed with Stone's decision to ditch the shell sink, either.

"I'm sorry but that shell sink is disgusting," said @wtf__evelyn, while @lanascrackhead said, "Nah the shell sink was horrendous please I cannot believe how many people are actually defending that."

"My only goal is to give our family a safe, loving home that's comfortable and a place they want to be when the rest of the world is beating them down," said Stone. "It doesn't matter what kind of sink they wash their hands or spit their toothpaste in, any more than the color of the walls."

Stone also issued a warning regarding her future home-renovation plans.

"To the people who are saying they hate it: it's OK if you hate it, we don't. However, you may want to turn your head because demolition starts on the master bath on Monday. I'll be updating every step of the way."