The persecution: roli
Old fittings are works of art – replacing them with dull modern will be destructive
My girlfriend Raf and I just bought our first home and we love it. We found a two-bedroom Victorian house with original features, including a fireplace and geometric tile in the hallway. I think the original features should keep everything because they are beautiful. It is very rare to find homes at home and we should not get rid of everything.
Raf didn’t agree. He was all about the bottom line and his taste was more modern. We have dirty glass windows which is lovely but Raf says they are bleeding heat and should be replaced. He said our heat bills would drop by 45% if we could get double glazing. Gutted me. I looked up in a way to denote the dirty glasses instead of getting rid of it, but it was more expensive and we were on the budget.
We also get stunning wooden parquet floors that need a lot of care. But Raf wants to clean them, which can harm them. When I saw him stealing them on Saturday, I cried: “You can’t do that!”
We also argued about replacing geometric tiles and if the fireplace was released in the front room. I like the color of the tiles and ripping out the fireplace will be destructive, but he wants a softer look. The previous ones were that -the rest of the room was modern but left the fireplace, so Raf said it didn’t fit aesthetically, as well as getting extra space (it was rather large and juts out slightly). But my dream was to bring back other features in the room, such as exposed brick, and returned it to its original vibe.
We have different tastes, but while our last place is enlisted we cannot change the decoration. We talked about some of it before we bought a house, but I was convinced that I could go around Raf, somehow in the fireplace. Now I realize how different we are. I wanted to give respect to the history of the house but Raf wanted to put our own seal.
I think the original features are works of art and should be preserved but Raf says I’m very emotional about it. I have to convince RAF that my taste inside is superior.
The Defense: Raf
The fireplace was huge, the windows were pouring heat and the floor didn’t go through anything. Let’s fix them
It’s not that I don’t like the weather features in a home, but I only believe that unless there is a practical purpose, it should be scrap.
If the stain glass windows serve no function except for being nice, and the double glazing will cut our bills in half, then of course we should get duplicate glazing. Encapsulation is a more expensive choice but I’m open here if Rupi keeps it fun.
The fireplace is a larger point of dispute. I can’t wait to take it out. It’s a sight and overwhelming – I want the space in our living room to really live. Rupi said that once we release these features we will never return, and people will be killed for some of the features of the weather in our home.
Yes, the house was gorgeous and we bought it because we both liked it, but I wanted to make some things modern. The ugly blue and red Victorian tiles in the hallway didn’t just go with the color scheme we agreed to. We agreed to take up when we made an offer at home, but now he will return to his decision.
I made a joke that Rupi was “emotional” about everything because he was acting as if the house would put some curse on us if we replaced the windows or released the fireplace. He treats me like a killer!
In our last place we had a disagreement or two of the pillow colors and lamp options, but nothing like that. I can compromise with tiles. I can also go around treating old floors (even in a fine world I want to put a carpet in most rooms) but I definitely want to spray the fireplace. It was too big and didn’t go into the room or either our furniture. I think that is a great enough reason to scrap it.
It is a house that is not a museum, and we should decorate it in the way that best serves our needs in 2025. Energy bills are expensive and the space is scarce. We can’t keep the features that take the space and cost us money just because one of us. It just doesn’t make sense.
The jury of the guardian readers
Should the RAF have more sympathy for the Victorian values of the roli?
Why buy a house to outer out most of its interesting -friendly features? Rupi is right to want to maintain its history, just as the previous ones have done.
James, 26
The RAF seems to be ready to compromise, while Rupi is not. Truly a space can change how we see it, so maybe they both have to live for a while and then see how they feel about the features they think they hate.
Molly, 56
The main sequel of a home period is the original features; The removal of these unique substances destroys the same character and value. Stained glass lamination or encapsulation can help insulation. Keep the fireplace (but can be placed on a stove).
Ronan, 37
I admit that I rarely find the time of homes today and these features are unique in your home -they are not worthy to be replaced only by a piece of furniture that everyone owns. Sorry RAF but the modern aesthetic is very united, and perhaps reducing the cost of the house as well.
Holly, 19
The joy of living at a time of home embraces its quirky features. Removing stain glass windows is important to sacrifice. In terms of flooring, the rags are your friends. If he just wanted to be warm, Raf should buy a new build-building next.
Laura, 34
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