Mats are what dreams are made of. Well, mats are actually made of fibres, polyesters and natty designs, while dreams have a more abstract nature – but that first sentence was too faux-inspirational to pass up. But if you’re dreaming up an ace mat for your office, here are some of your best bets, be they funny, comfy or outright rude!

#1: Let a mutt trap your dirt

In the UK, there’s an online emporium of mats dedicated to the finest comfort and best muck-catching. It’s called The Mat Factory and its mascot is the mischievous mutt Dusty the Dog. Their flagship products – while not quite on the same strange level as an anthropomorphic, mat-obsessed, talking dog – are the renowned dirt-trapper mats. Ideal for scraping dirt off feet and keeping the inside of your office clean and pristine, there’s nothing funny about this company’s approach to great design. Yet every time you wipe your soles clean, you’ll always raise a smile at the thought of that friendly pooch.

#2: A welcome mat

There’s little a customer loves more than a warm welcome into your office – and what better way to give it to them than with a message on a mat? There’s, naturally, your standard “welcome” message, but why not tailor your greetings to your company’s audience? If you’re a plumbing company, for example, you could try the frankly terrible pun, “Plumb on in”. Or maybe not. Here are a few more suggestions:

• Emboss your company logo on the mat. It’ll make you look more professional.
• A quick thank you message for your clients’ visit wouldn’t go amiss.
• Make that mat a durable piece of kit. The thicker and less well-worn it is, the more professional you’ll look.
• A polite reminder asking clients to wipe their feet can help you stop dirt and grime trailing onto your office carpets.

#3: An unwelcome mat

To give your clients’ a real laugh, make an ironically unwelcoming mat telling them to shove off! This is, admittedly, probably not the most advisable strategy, but if you’ve got the funny bones to make the joke clear (and not just outright rude), then you might be able to make a bit of cash from your joshing nature. If you’re in a less serious line of business, a jokey welcome mat can make your business look edgy, hip and able to make fun of itself. We live in a world where everyone is stiff upper lipped and fusty in their suit and tie. But, with a sarcastic or witty mat, you could offer a refreshing change of pace. So try an unwelcome mat. After all, who doesn’t enjoy some sass in their day?