Before you delve into the floral displays and designer showcase rooms of the annual Celebrations at Home showcase, we offer one practical tip: Don’t let the cat shred the sofa. Beyond that, you’re in the hands of Ken Charbonneau, a home-color expert; Alexandra Stoddard, who wrote “Feeling at Home: Defining Who You Are and How You Want to Live”; and Joan Kohn, a kitchen designer. The three-day event, presented by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s Women’s Association, begins at 10 a.m. Thursday on several floors of the Merchandise Mart, at Kinzie and Wells. Tickets are $25 per day, or $30 at the door, plus $15 for each workshop and keynote speaker. Tickets for the kick-off party, at 6 p.m. Wednesday, are $125-$500. 800-223-7114.
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