A Client and Architect’s Second Act

Few clients commission one award-winning home from Arthur Dyson. Fewer still return decades later for a second.

But that’s exactly what Deborah and Greg Lapp did. Deborah and her late husband, Denis, had previously worked with Dyson—an apprentice of Frank Lloyd Wright and Bruce Goff—on the Lencioni Residence, a.k.a. the Hobbit House, a home that went on to win national awards, grace museum exhibitions, and become a case study in the power of organic design.

Years later, while kayaking along California’s Kings River near the Sierra foothills, Deborah and her husband Greg spotted a For Sale sign on a stretch of land they admired. They made an offer on the spot, still wearing water shoes. The couple then tasked Dyson with shaping a riverfront retreat that could double as a performance space—one that echoed the landscape, honored their creative passions, and elevated daily living into an art form.

Now that the home is on the market, the Lapps are reflecting on their collaboration with Dyson as a rare and enduring partnership—one that spanned decades, produced two distinctive residences, and demonstrated the lasting value of thoughtful, client-driven design.

Dyson’s approach begins not with architecture, but with people—their routines, their passions, the shapes they gravitate toward. “He asked us what we ate for breakfast, how we spent our afternoons,” Deborah recalls. “From there, he sculpted something that felt like it had always belonged.”

The result is the Lapp RiverHouse. This second collaboration with Dyson was shaped not just by landscape, but by music. Greg, a composer of choral music, needed a space that could function as both residence and performance venue. Dyson responded with a 2,000-square-foot, single-story home anchored by a 1,000-square-foot great room. With its curved ceiling and open flow, the space was designed around a baby grand piano and serves as a natural concert hall. “The shape of the house amplifies the piano like an amphitheater,” Greg says.

The couple hosted salons and house concerts where 50 to 60 guests could gather. The architecture helped facilitate the atmosphere—fluid, expansive, and responsive. “It’s a perfect house for entertaining,” Deborah says. “You never feel boxed in.”

The RiverHouse also shares a subtle design DNA with the Hobbit House. Both feature curved forms, strong indoor-outdoor connections, and a commitment to material honesty. But RiverHouse scales up in both volume and openness, reflecting not only a shift in lifestyle but the maturity of a long-standing creative partnership.

Sustainability was central. Radiant floor heating powered by propane eliminated the need for ductwork and freed up visual space. Overhangs, a reflective “cool roof,” and breezes off the river kept the house cool for a decade without air conditioning. A mini-split was later added to the bedroom, though rarely used.

The couple’s collaboration with Dyson became the subject of Deborah’s 2023 book, At Home: A Client’s Appreciation for Authentic Architecture, which documents both projects and the values behind them. Featuring over 100 photographs and a foreword by Dyson, the book reflects her belief that good design shapes more than space—it shapes the spirit. “Too many people settle for ordinary architecture that does nothing—or worse, brings you down,” she writes. “This is the opposite. It’s soaring. It’s expanding. It’s exhilarating.”

Now relocated to New York’s Hudson Valley to be closer to family, the Lapps are undertaking a new renovation—this time of an 1890s hunting lodge. But their RiverHouse, completed in 2011 and now for sale, stands as a legacy of collaboration, creativity, and trust in the design process.

“It’s more than a home,” Deborah says. “It’s a work of art you get to live in.”