My roommate turned the living room into an office and now every weekday belongs to his meetings

When my roommate started working from home, he set up at the dining table “for a couple of weeks.” That was seven months ago.

His monitor now lives there permanently. A ring light sits on the bookshelf. At 8:55 every morning he closes the living-room curtains because backlight makes him look washed out, then spends the day on calls beside the kitchen. I have learned the quarterly goals of people I have never met.

I work outside the apartment, so at first it seemed petty to care. I was gone during most of his meetings. Then my schedule changed and I began getting two weekdays off. On those days I cannot make lunch without appearing behind him on camera. If I watch television, he asks me to use headphones. If I vacuum, he points at his headset. The shared room has become his office with a couch attached.

He pays half the rent and has the same small bedroom I do. There is no obvious spare room. He says the dining table is the only place with enough light and a reliable connection. I believe him. I also believe remote work does not silently convert common space into private space for forty hours a week.

I suggested that he move the desk setup into his bedroom and use the living room only for occasional calls. He said fitting it would require replacing his dresser. I suggested a folding screen and a rule that ordinary household activity continues during work hours. He said that would make him look unprofessional.

The conversation ended when I said his employer's professionalism problem cannot be funded with my access to the kitchen. That was sharper than necessary, and now every sound feels deliberate.

What would a fair shared-space agreement look like? Set quiet blocks for important meetings, require headphones, keep the curtains open outside calls, remove the equipment each evening? I do not need the room silent while I am away. I need it to become a home again when I am there.