"I buy a cute little rug from Target to hide the ugly mat. After the cat pees on the rug, I throw it out and buy a new one." Breezygirl - I am cracking up here! I am glad to hear you do ths - I have tried really hard to come up with another long-lasting floor that would be softer, but let's face it, softer means not as long lasting. I don't intend to do this again in my lifetime, which means according to actuarial tables I need the floor to last 30+ years. Sounds like ceramic to me :) I think I am going to order an anti-fatigue mat (am looking at Gel-pro and Wellness mat websites) and tape down (mayb velcro??) a thin kilim-type rug on top of it - I would like some really pretty oriental rugs in this kitchen. Puppeez, I hear you. My DD has a scar on her face from tripping over one of my throw rugs when she was a toddler. I am going to try to station this double comfort rug extravaganza in one, maybe 2, work zones in the kitchen, not in a traffic area or doorway. I will be super careful - falling on this floor could kill me and mess up my calculations!

I have one like this, purchased at a local store that carries the brand. It is seven years old and really helps me when I stand at my laundry room sink. The laundry room floors are scored, stained concrete and very hard on joints. At one point, the mat started to curl at the edges. I cannot recall how I got it to flatten out again, but I did, and it is like new. Here is a link that might be useful: Gel Pro

I have commercial/industrial fatigue mats - not the gel ones specifically. I've noticed that when I'm wearing shoes, the difference from standing on the bare floor is less night-and-day than when I'm barefoot, but the mat still improves my posture markedly and it's still noticably softer than the bare floor. (Interestingly, an overly soft mat will tire you out FASTER than a properly firm one..) They're the ones with lots of little rubber domes; it has a bit of a 'foot massage' feel to stand on and discourages me from standing on the sides of my feet, which I tend to do when on a hard surface. I would guess that the gel mats would have a similar effect.

Two posts on the same topic. The other has pics, so more helpful. Delete this post.