The Team
LEAH BROWNING FRANKL
Founder & Creative Director
As Founder and Creative Director of Lumber & Light, Leah works with clients to create detailed hospitality concepts which she evolves into highly curated interiors, telling brand stories through artwork, design, and immersive guest experiences.
Leah brings 14 years of Hospitality Design experience to every project. Previous to founding Lumber & Light in 2018, Leah worked as Creative Director for hospitality consulting group Vucurevich | Simons Advisory Group. Additionally, Leah served as Creative Director and in-house designer for Founding Farmers/Farmers Restaurant Group. In 2020, Leah's design for Founding Farmers Reston Station won the IIDA mid-Atlantic award for interior design in the hospitality category.
She holds a B.A. in Architecture from Washington University in St. Louis, and is a LEED Accredited Professional. Some of her current hospitality clients include Maker’s Mark, Farmers Restaurant Group, Blue Rock Inn as well as residential clients in Washington, D.C., East Hampton, NY, and Sonoma, CA.
Leah finds endless design inspiration through her travels. She has experienced hospitality design around the globe, studying every detail of a multitude of hotels, restaurants and bars, from London to Bangkok, Copenhagen to Seoul, Paris to Sydney, Hong Kong to Panama.
CHRIS LANGE
Design Director
Chris guides designs from concept to creation. Prior to joining Lumber & Light, Chris was the Lead Designer of Duggal Visual Solutions’ Innovation Lab in New York City. It was there that he honed his knowledge of unique fabrication processes, cutting-edge digital display technologies, and fine-art printing and imaging techniques; spearheading special projects for Verizon, Apple, Peloton, Armani, Dior, Shiseido, NYX, Bergdorf Goodman, Hunter Douglas, The New York Times, and more.
He designed Duggal’s award-winning trade show booth at GlobalShop 2016, for which the company received both Best Booth Design, and Best In Show accolades, showcasing a curated selection of artists across the spectrum of the company’s printing, fabrication, and digital display offerings.
Chris played a pivotal role in the development of a proprietary dynamic LED signage product, Lumipixels, as well as many highly bespoke retail installations incorporating every type of digital signage, from large-scale direct view LED and video wall displays, to transparent OLED and other unique technologies, along with a litany of manufacturing methods spanning all manner of materials.
Chris combines a lifelong passion for photography and traditional printmaking with over 12 years of experience as a CGI artist and technical 3D modeler, and 7 years of production and fabrication design. He holds a BFA in Fine Art Photography & Illustration from Alfred University.
ERIKA KAUDER
Hospitality Director & Design Associate
Erika brings 10+ years of uniquely combined experience in hospitality & guest experience management, public relations, marketing, and brand development in Washington DC. A self-starter and entrepreneur at heart, Erika began her career in public relations and social media management, quickly learning the craft and starting her own small boutique media and creative shop. It was here she built conceptual and creative strategy, and managed local and national press for clients including Le Diplomate, BLT Steak, El Techo, Stable, Coconut Club, Tiger Fork, Osteria Morini, Provision 14, and La Vie.
All the while, she moonlit in a number of front of house positions across the city and quickly fell in love with the intangible magic of the guest experience. After a number of years at restaurants like Blue Duck Tavern at the Park Hyatt and other local DC gems, she found herself on the opening staff at now Michelin-Starred restaurant, The Dabney, where she came into her role as Hospitality Director. It was here she shaped an unmatched guest experience, personalized service and a highly lauded hospitality program designed to foster the intangible moments that connect deeply and authentically with guests in a way they will never forget.
Erika not only designs hospitality, leadership development and training programs for concepts, but she also manages styling, decor sourcing and global procurement. Whether driving through the Virginia countryside searching for old steam trunks, weathered books and taxidermy or scouring the streets of Siem Reap for woven baskets and textiles, Erika has a knack for finding unique and personalized pieces from all corners of the world for any project.
When she isn’t working, you can find Erika chatting up strangers in a check-out line, making travel guides and “must see” lists for friends and guests alike, or eating her way through the streets of Southeast Asia where she now resides.
Our Partners
LIZ GRANDCHAMP
Owner, Grandchamp Hospitality
Liz is dedicated to ensuring hospitality businesses reach their full potential. With nearly a decade of hands-on experience encompassing event management, kitchen operations, construction management, and restaurant administration, her expertise covers nearly every aspect of building and running a hospitality business.
Liz is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Greystone. She has a formal education in culinary arts, recipe development, menu creation, food & labor costs, and kitchen functionality. After graduation, she spent several years in Napa applying this knowledge at renowned restaurants, working alongside some of the best professionals in the industry.
Throughout her career, Liz has held many diverse roles, from serving sandwiches to tourists on Block Island, Rhode Island, to serving as an owner's representative on new hospitality build outs. Her broad industry experience equips her with a profound understanding of the ever-evolving needs of hospitality establishments. From initial planning to permits to build out and beyond, Liz applies her experience in kitchens and bars to all aspects of a project, ensuring efficiencies in layout and design will translate into a better environment for staff and guests alike.
When she's not working, Liz is hosting huge family-style dinners at her home in Raleigh, NC. To her, friends, family, and the happy chaos of a table full of voices sharing a meal is the heart of hospitality.