Team

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Norman Design creates custom interiors designed to capture each client’s essence while standing the test of time. Each finished design reflects its owner’s lifestyle and passions. Whether the end product is impeccably tailored or exquisitely worn-in, it is unmistakably home. We believe a home should wrap its arms around you and welcome you home from the chaotic world. Norman Design Group is a diverse design firm, small enough to give each of our clients personalized attention while big enough to manage design work on large scale homes. We work closely with our clients on every project, educating them about the design process so they can make intelligent choices for their home.

Elif Karacay NCIDQ, CIDC, ASID

Design Director

An East Coast native, Elif started her design career developing luxury interiors in and around New York City. She carries a BFA in Interior Design from the Fashion Institute of Technology, in New York City. After relocating to Southern California in 2008, Elif joined the team at Norman Design Group, and has been an integral part in making the firm what it is today. As Design Director, Elif has a hand in every project that comes through the doors. Never shying away from a challenge, Elif loves to develop solutions for the most difficult spaces and pushing the design team to step out of their comfort zone and develop the best solutions for our clients.

When she’s not collaborating with the Design Teams on their latest projects, you can find her building sand castles at the beach with her son Jackson or chasing the next snowstorm in Mammoth with her husband Jake.

Meghan Biederman NCIDQ

Senior Designer

Meghan joined our firm in 2014 as a bright-eyed graduate from San Diego State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Interior Design. As an NCIDQ Certified Senior Designer, she leads her team on projects throughout Santa Barbara and Los Angeles.

With an eye for quality and high sense of style, Meghan brings a client centered approach to each project with an innate desire to create beautiful, livable spaces. For her, it’s all about balance—every space must carefully tiptoe the line between sophistication and comfort, beauty and practicality, timeless and chic.

Meghan brings her warm spirit, positive energy, detailed mentality, and dedication to everything she does. Her greatest motivation and joy in life is being a mother to her precious little girls.

Shea Menzel

Senior Designer

Shea’s passion has always been Architecture and Design. She started her path into design at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo where she obtained a Bachelors degree in Architecture. There she was able to develop her skills by studying in Copenhagen for a year and doing volunteer work designing a community center in Rwanda, Africa.

She uses her background in architecture and love for design to provide a unique perspective for each project. She enjoys working on the small details that bring a project together and make it come to life.

Shea loved growing up in Oregon, but went south toward the sunshine the first chance she got. She loves spending time at the beach, going on hikes, doing D.I.Y projects, baking, and traveling.

Kristin Gray ASID

Senior Designer

Kristin’s passion for interior design started at an early age, building Lego homes and then designing dream homes for her Barbies.  She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a focus in Legal/Forensic and a Minor in Architecture from Roger Williams University in Rhode Island.  Working retail right after graduating, when the opportunity arose to move to LA she jumped at the chance to pivot to a career in design.  Her career started as a secretary at an architectural office where she was fortunate enough to receive on the job training.  Subsequently, she decided to go back to school and earned her Masters of Interior Architecture at UCLA Extension/Cal Poly Pomona.

Kristin’s extensive experience at various residential design firms has offered her valuable insight into all aspects of the interior design business from accounting, design, drafting, client/vendor relations, to project management.

In her personal time, Kristin stays busy with her young son Sebastian and enjoys trying new restaurants with her husband and friends.  She hopes to get back into playing tennis soon!

Nada Bibi

Senior Designer

Nada started her design career in New York City after receiving her MFA in Interior Design at Pratt Institute. She has worked extensively on high-end Residential and Commercial projects over the years. Her experience and holistic approach allow for a seamless client experience throughout the design process.

When she is not designing homes, she is spending time with her husband and two boys on the beach or on the slopes.

Andrea Bisztran

Interior Designer

Andrea is a creative, energetic person with a keen eye for detail. Her dynamic and thorough approach ensures that every project reflects the client’s needs and wants. She strives to create beautiful, yet comfortable interior spaces. She leans on her experience in multiple design areas, such as tile and stone and kitchen design to deliver a positive experience for each client.

Andrea has a broad perspective on life and design being born in Romania, then living in Hungary, India and settling in the United States.

She obtained her master’s in interior architecture from UCLA Extension/Cal Poly Pomona Extended University and her bachelor’s degree in Interior Design from Cal State University Northridge.

When she is not designing, Andrea enjoys practicing CrossFit, taking care of her plants, and baking with her daughter. She loves spending time at the beach and traveling to new and exciting places to expand her perspective on design and culinary experiences.

Elsa Baker

Interior Designer

Elsa is a recent graduate from Savannah College of Art and Design, earning her BFA in Interior Design from the top program in the country. While she is young and new to the industry, her hard-work, ambition, and willingness to take leaps of faith has led her to an exciting new life chapter.

Originally from Colorado, she first went to Georgia for school and then trekked to the West Coast for another adventure. She has always felt drawn to LA’s endless opportunities, diverse culture, and beautiful landscape. Though Elsa had to move without any connections in the area, she trusted that it would be worth the risk to go for what she wanted in life.

Elsa enjoys spending time with her friends lounging on the beach, trying new restaurants, and exploring LA. She also loves reading, rearranging her home, and playing with her rambunctious puppy, Louie.

Karina Gonzalez

Interior Designer

Karina’s passion in life is interior design. She is a believer that a beautiful and functional space can change a person’s life. She brings value to the firm through her positive attitude, strong work ethic, and dedication to deliver the ultimate experience and design for every client.

Karina has extensive knowledge within multi-family housing and residential design. She is interested in developing all facets of design. She has a BFA in Interior Design from California State University Long Beach.

A southern California native, Karina enjoys Krav Maga, kick boxing, golfing, dirt biking, and camping. She enjoys refurbishing recreational vehicles in her spare time although, her favorite past time is spoiling her pup, Dusty!

Sonia Castro

Purchasing, Expediting, & Photoshoot Management

Starting out as part time in 2011, Sonia has proved to be a very valuable team member. Thrown into something new and unknown daily, Sonia never waivers from her challenges. Today, she manages all purchase orders, tracks, and plans all installations and is a strategic thinker. She manages hundreds of moving parts daily to ensure our products are on time and helps the design team stay organized.

Sonia handles a wide range of administrative capabilities and is very creative with new ideas of how to improve different aspects of our design studio. Sonia’s cheerful demeanor and can-do attitude make her a very important team member. Her quick thinking allows her to manage organizational and marketing matters at Norman Design Group with ease and grace.

Sonia enjoys spending time with family, friends, and spoiling her cat, Winston. In her spare time, she likes to go to concerts with her husband, check out new restaurants and breweries, attending sporting events, and watching ghost hunting shows!

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