Okay, sorry guess I had a hormone flare. RE-reading the posts with those recent comments in mind, I'll "mea culpa" on my first interpretation.
Getting back to your issue at hand Angela
If a ceiling mounted "track" would work for you, 2 cheap solutions, both easy, and both require little "maintenance set up" (as screens would - and cheaper than screens). IF noise is not an issue, and you just want privacy and room area darkening while occasionally "in use" as a guest bedroom, and a minimum of sight and/or space disruption when not in use are:
1) using ceiling mounted verticle blinds. Now this can be pricey IF your ceilings are greater than standard "door height", and if you want a distance greater than six to six and a half feet wide covered from ONE direction (but if height is an issue you can order longer slats, and either a special order longer track OR use multiple tracks). You could start as cheap as three bucks a linear foot if you have "low" ceilings for this area and regular 4" slats of white or alabaster or hunter green is your color of choice and straight PVC is okay(maybe a sofit/obstruction "demarks" the zone you want to close off) and goes to the "sky's the limit" with regards to materials/colors/fabrics etc. to match your decor.
2) the folding doors option like I suggested an example at LTLHOMEPRODUCTS (.com) which if the height and width limitations of a standard sliding glass window work, can be done for six bucks a linear foot going to 8' tall and 8'wide sections up to 16' linear un-obstructed could start at nine bucks a linear foot and upwards depending on finish color. There are also other producers of such products.
I think as you wish the entire area opened up most of the time as a "great room area" you do NOT want any kind of floor track system as a trip hazard, nor do you want to see anything "massive" interupting the continuity of the room when not closing off this area. Have you looked at those doors I recommended yet? What do you like/NOT LIKE about that idea? I'd be happy to throw some other ideas your way if only I knew your thoughts about my "first pitch".
F.Y.I. I found louvered panels a REAL PAIN to sand/paint/seal and later clean I don't recommend them for THAT reason! I'm also over-fond of things I can wash with lots of water and regular vinegar or household detergents, AND things that I can dust/vacuum freely, efficiently, and with out any special gizmos, but that's "me", I'm kinda a nut about cleaning things and am super anti-mold/mildew because I'm highly allergic to both, hence the non-mold food references previously.
Mea Culpa, and sorry for the sting. I've since had plenty of rest, a healthy dose of theraputic chocolate, and a few days for my system to adjust and brain to think clearly.
