Marmoleum is also nice.

Laminate is the most practical for a kitchen, and you can get many nice-looking kinds now. However, most people on DCUMs won't do it because they are too snobby. It works for people who are sure of their own taste.

Third for cork. It's what we are getting when we redo our kitchen. My back can't take tile anymore.

I second cork. We have it and I really like it.

Try cork flooring. Sounds like it would fit your requirements.

I need something not too hard (no tile, slate, ceramic) because I like to think that I could drop something every now and again and not have it shatter into a million pieces. Something that cleans well and wears well and maybe shows a little personality.

Thanks!