When space is tight, think flexible, lightweight and

“No changed my life,” Perkins said. “I am a different person than I was before I really learned to embrace no.”Have you overcome an obstacle or made a profound change in your work? Send your questions and story ideas to

. Follow AP’s Be Well coverage, focusing on wellness, fitness, diet and mental health atfor a while now. They may be where we work, they are certainly where we play, and in today’s stress-filled world, they’re often the place where we feel most at peace.Spurred by the pandemic, dens became offices, extra bedrooms became

, dining rooms morphed into multifunctional creative spaces.Often, we’re seeing rooms transformed into sanctuaries of self-care: welcome to the “wellness room.”

“Small sophisticated home gyms, music rooms, meditation rooms and Zen gardens are some of the wellness spaces we’ve designed recently,” says designer Gonzalo Bueno, who owns the firm Ten Plus Three in Dallas. “Spaces for

are all really popular right now.”A woman shouts in a rally marking 600 days since Israelis were taken hostage by Hamas in Gaza, demanding their release and an end to the war, in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Wednesday, May 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

Palestinians carry bags of flour after storming a U.N. World Food Program warehouse in Zawaida, Central Gaza Strip, on Wednesday, May 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)Palestinians carry bags of flour after storming a U.N. World Food Program warehouse in Zawaida, Central Gaza Strip, on Wednesday, May 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Italy’s Jasmine Paolini hits a forehand against Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic during their second round match of the French Tennis Open, at the Roland-Garros stadium, in Paris, Wednesday, May 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)Italy’s Jasmine Paolini hits a forehand against Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic during their second round match of the French Tennis Open, at the Roland-Garros stadium, in Paris, Wednesday, May 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)