Someone call the Capitol Police... The White House decorator just got murdered.

If each of 2,000 decisions in this remodeling project has 5 options, that’s 10,000 possibilities to consider… and a nearly infinite number of potential combinations! The more options a client is presented with, the harder it is for them to make decisions and the less confident they feel.

Just the major items in a bathroom might include:
- Floor, wall, and backsplash tile - plus installation pattern, details, and backer system
- Grout color, trim profile/finish
- Paint durability, color, and accents
- Countertop thickness, material, edge profile, backsplash
- the list goes on

This expenditure of energy can lead to decision fatigue and increase the potential for regret. The design process works much the same way. There may be 2,000 unique decisions to make in a major home remodel project.

Research shows that consumers faced with an abundance of choices actually end up less satisfied with their ultimate decisions. Navigating through a broad universe of options requires significant cognitive effort.

Our intuition tells us the more choices a consumer is presented with, the more likely it is that they can find the “perfect option”. The reality is quite the opposite.

The store may stock 10 different kinds of puffed rice cereal alone: organic, chocolate, honey, bulk, brand-name. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed.

This is known as the paradox of choice, a concept introduced by psychologist Barry Schwartz.

Dr. Roberts was hired in 2023. The removal order referenced by the ICE press release was in 2024. The order is not public record though, so nobody has seen it.