Statuslines of non-focused windows are not drawn "symmetrically" anymore

[bfrg]

Steps to reproduce

For example, run: vim --clean -c 'color sorbet | wincmd v | wincmd v | wincmd p | wincmd s | wincmd s | wincmd h.

Result: The right side of the statusline reaches into the vertical separator, whereas the left vertical separator remains visible.

Screenshot:

Expected behaviour

I would have expected the statusline to be drawn either on both sides instead of the vertical separators, or the vertical separators are drawn instead of the statusline. It looks very asymmetrical. This changed in c721965.

Screenshot of old behavior (before c721965):

Version of Vim

9.2.410

Environment

Linux, any terminal.

[h-east]

This is not a bug; it was an intentional change in #19951.
To understand the reasoning, please compare the highlight groups and characters of the adjacent columns (left and right) of the statusline in versions prior to c721965 by running #19951 (comment) and #19951 (comment) of #19951.

[bfrg]

Many users set guibg=NONE for the vertical separator. It looks terrible now. Poor design decision IMO.

[h-east]

Many users set guibg=NONE for the vertical separator. It looks terrible now. Poor design decision IMO.

So why close the issue? If it's really that terrible, let's see some screenshots.