Louvres, much like lovers, are great when they actually work. When the louvre-lever moves easily and opens to let in the cool breezes or closes tight to shut out the storms, burglars and mosquitoes they are indeed a pleasure to have around. But too often the mechanism corrodes and they either shut out the cool breezes or let in the storms, burglars and mosquitoes. Sometimes when panes are missing they cunningly manage to do both. People then opt for the short-term paneless solution: louvres are removed to be replaced by hideous fixed aluminium framed windows and air-con units to speed our headlong march towards aesthetic extinction.
Fortunately this means I've plenty of lovely louvres, more than a decent girl has any right to have. It makes me wish that jewellery made from the goddamned stuff was more popular.