(Family Features) For homeowners who enjoy spending time outside, the doorway is an important architectural element that blends style and function to connect indoor and outdoor spaces.

Many factors influence which type of door makes the most sense for your home. Available wall space and layout of the space inside and out dictate whether a single or double door fits best. Considerations such as lighting and privacy influence details such as the number of window panes for your home, while personal style and décor preferences help identify the choice between sliding and French style doors.

Beyond the main door structure, many homeowners are exploring new options when it comes to complementary screen doors that make the most of indoor-outdoor spaces and create optimal air flow. Traditional options like swinging or sliding screens are being replaced by a new popular alternative: retractable screen doors.

A flexible alternative
As their name suggests, retractable screen doors roll back into their housing when not in use – much like a window shade turned on its side.

“A retractable screen door is the perfect solution for allowing fresh air into the home,” says Randy Brown, retail channel marketing manager, ODL, Inc., a leading manufacturer of retractable screen doors. “It keeps bugs out when the screen is in use, and when the screen isn’t needed, it retracts into the frame housing so it’s hidden from view. It’s there when you need it and out of sight when you don’t.”

A practical alternative to traditional screen doors, retractable screen doors also allow homeowners to avoid the banging, slamming and in-the-way hassles associated with a traditional hinged screen door. For homeowners who like to entertain, leaving the screen retracted allows the party to spill naturally onto a festive deck or patio.

Easy installation
When shopping for a retractable screen door, look for models that offer outer face-mount installation on brick mold. This allows you to enjoy a full opening for fresh air circulation as well as an unobstructed view to the outdoors. Without intrusive housing or tracks associated with in-jamb retractable screen doors, these models provide the added benefit of a full pass-through space.

Installing a retractable screen door is surprisingly simple, especially if you choose a product designed with the DIY homeowner in mind, such as the Brisa Retractable Screen Door by ODL. For most standard-size doors, no metal cutting is required, and only a power driver tool is needed to install Brisa’s five components in about 30 minutes.

Hassle-free Brisa Retractable Screen Doors are offered in a variety of heights (standard, short, tall), colors (white, bronze, sandstone), and applications (single door, French/double door, sliding door) for flexibility to fit the majority of homes. Its symmetrical design and neutral material selections align with the brick or wood molding of a home's architecture, and with durable painted surfaces and rust-free aluminum, the housing and track require no maintenance. Brisa is also covered by a Limited Life Time Warranty.

For more information and a where-to-buy locater, visit www.odl.com/FreshAir.

Sponsored by ODL, Inc.