The loo seat up looks a bit 'unfinished' to me - if that's the right term. The rubber buttons on the bottom of the seat, the hinges, ...none of this matters i guess but we have smooth dark wood seats with a lovely sheen and it just looks so much better when the seat and lid are down. I sit on the closed lid often when drying my feet, painting toe nails, talking to OH, trying to remember what I came in the bathroom for, so it's definitely 'down' for a preference in out house. OH leaves it up, always has, and over the years I have cracked a few seats slamming them down for the tenth time that day; now we have 'soft closing' seats so my vicious swipes don't result in damage!