3 Ways to Style a Gender-Neutral Nursery

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Oct 29, 2016

In years past, decorating your nursery always started with the baby’s gender, to make sure that the space stayed within strict color schemes associated with either boys or girls. Nowadays? A nursery that doesn’t denote gender is all the rage. And good thing too, as the options for decorating a nursery are limitless when you’re not confined to sugar and spice (or snails and puppy dog tails, for that matter). Here are a few ideas courtesy of our in-house team of interior designers.

First up: A gender-neutral nursery featuring blue and teal accents is perfect for boys and girls. Splashes of white keep the look clean and refined.

Babyletto 3-in-1 Convertible Crib ($280), KidKraft Avalon Chair ($55), Uttermost Monferrato Ceramic Table Lamp ($258), Mi Zone Kids Safari Fun Wall Art ($30, two pieces), Plow & Hearth Rocking Chair ($150), Child Craft SOHO Double Dresser ($550), Guidecraft Block Mates Safari Animals ($27), Rizzy Home Platoon Area Rug ($46+)

Prints + Lots of Color

Start with a few fun prints and a patterned blanket to liven up the scene — in colors from orange and yellow to blue and red. Going gender-neutral luckily allows you to work with whichever (and as many!) colors as you want.

Weegoamigo Spectrum Rayon Baby Blanket ($80), DaVinci Jayden 4-in-1 Convertible Crib ($240), Way Basics Storage Cubes ($120, set of six), LittleDesignHaus Apple Pear Prints ($45), Woodland Imports Table Lamp With Empire Shade ($119), Jaipur Britta Collection Wool Area Rug ($124), Madison Club Concave Club Chair ($300)

Simple Yet Coordinated

Opt to go more simple, but not necessarily more quiet. Some light blue, some orange and a fun doll collection liven up the space and tie in nicely with a gray and white palette.

Adesso Addison Armchair ($455), Oeuf Rhea 3-in-1 Convertible Crib ($670), Viv + Rae Cable Knit Pouf ($150), Wayfair Birch Lane Kids Whale Watercolor Framed Print ($145), Brayden Studio Batista Delgado Cotton Throw Pillow ($42), Dash and Albert Rugs Herringbone Hand Woven Blue Area Rug ($35), TheLewisKingsleyCo Fabric Dolls ($45), Wayfair Fine Mod Imports Woodstring Armchair ($300)

Looking for more decor inspo for your little one’s nursery? Make sure to follow us on Pinterest!

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8 Stunning Colors For All Your Nursery Decor, According To Designers

Jeremiah Brent x Crate & Kids launched a kid's room and nursery collection this week with a color palette to swoon over. Inspired by Viennese design from the 1930s and various motifs, colors, and patterns collected from his travels, Brent chose to use rich and sophisticated colors like Bordeaux, mauve, camel and cobalt to create rooms that parents love and babies can grow into. Here are 2025 color trends from the collection, plus more nursery colors designers are coveting this year.

Color Trend: Mauve

Jeremiah Brent x Crate & Kids

The dad to 9YO Poppy and 6YO Oskar (with husband Nate Berkus) focused on materials that aren’t traditionally seen in baby and kids spaces so parents can use them throughout the home as they get older. Featured above are Jeremiah Brent x Crate & Kids Rachel Canopy Full Bed, Chestnut Red Treasured Side Table, Vine Table Lamp, and the Heirloom Organic Cotton Velvet Quilt and Sham. Materials are sustainably sourced from FSC-certified wood and organic cottons.

Color Trend: Bordeaux

Jeremiah Brent x Crate & Kids

The Embrace Brown Swivel Glider, Memoire Armoire Cabinet, and 12th Street Rug can be used beyond the nursery, such as in an office or guest room. The rug and crib feature that same curvy corners hinting to the vintage inspiration.

Color Trend: Camel

Jeremiah Brent x Crate & Kids

Camel accents are also on trend to complement the richer tones of Bordeaux and cobalt as shown in the collection's Treasured Stroller Blanket.

Color Trend: Browns and Greens

Babyletto

So long traditional pastels: A camel-colored curtain panel complements that greens and browns in this nursery designed by Babyletto. I just love how this Babyletto Bondi Crib compliments the colors!

Color Trend: Moss + Sage

Etsy

"I’m still big fan of moss that is a cooling unisex color and acts as a gentle and inviting background for natural blonde tones of wood accents and furniture," says Natália Severdia, founder and principal designer of Bay Area and Lake Tahoe-based Interior Studio Natália. This Etsy Watercolor Forest Wallpaper is such a cute take on the color for a nursery!

Pottery Barn

"However a shade darker palette, including muted dark sage with walnut toned wood, accented with woven natural textures of jute and rattan, is appealing as well," adds Severdia. This wall mural is a more traditional take on mossy greens and woods from Chris Loves Julia x Pottery Barn Kids collection.

Cribs are getting the color treatment too with a hint of nature-inspired greens to pair with natural woods. The Nestig Palm Crib is a great example of that!

Color Trend: Muted Terra Cotta

Etsy

"We're seeing a shift from the traditional pastels to more gender-neutral, earthy tones," says Amanda Leigh, cofounder of LA-basedHouse of Rolison. "Soft sage greens, warm taupes, and muted terracottas are becoming popular, creating a calming yet sophisticated environment." Accents like a crib canopy are a perfect way to incorporate these colors!

Nestig

Muted colors paired with a deep Bordeaux paint on the ceiling makes a stunning impact in this nursery design from Nestig. The earthy Willow Crib is such a nice way to ground the more colorful room.

Color Trend: Deep Blues

Sandberg Wallpaper

"There’s also a resurgence of deep blues paired with natural wood accents, offering a serene yet stylistic vibe," says Taylor Hahn, cofounder of House of Rolison. This Sandberg Starry Sky Wallpaper is ADORABLE, unexpected, and a sign of richer tones to come.

Color Trend: Taupe

Etsy

“For 2025 nursery color trends, expect a shift toward calm, sophisticated, and nature-inspired tones," says Johanna Constantinou, interior trends expert at Tapi Carpets & Floors. "Soft colors are likely to dominate, creating a soothing environment that reflects the growing desire for organic and eco-friendly spaces." This soft, vintage-inspired nursery gallery wall is perfect for creating that calming environment.

Oilo Studio Nola

Colors like taupe and nature-inspired colors like moss and sage create a serene and peaceful nursery. "Earthy tones like warm beige, soft taupe, and muted terracotta are also gaining popularity for those looking to create a more grounded, gender-neutral space," she echoes. A nursery chair, like this one from Oilo Studio Nola, is a fantastic way to incorporate these tones.

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Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.

Header image via Jeremiah Brent x Crate & Kids

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“Protective” Peter Gallagher Is “So Grateful” Mischa Barton Survived “Toxic Fame”

No matter what kind of day you're having, Marissa Cooper's having a worse one. Mischa Barton's The O.C. character went through the ringer during the first three seasons of the teen drama (remember how she overdosed in Tijuana...and also saw her parents post-hookup after their divorce?).

And during her time on The O.C., Mischa Barton struggled with drug and alcohol abuse. She was arrested for a DUI in 2007 and eventually received involuntary psychiatric hospitalization in 2009 after allegedly threatening to end her own life. And in a new interview, Peter Gallagher (who played Sandy Cohen on the show) says he's "just so grateful" for "the fact that she’s still alive."

  • Mischa Barton starred alongside Peter Gallagher in The O.C. from 2003-2006.
  • The actress has revealed the "trauma" of being a star at that point in her life.
  • Peter recently opened up about how he's thankful "she’s still alive."


Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for FLC/John Lamparski/Getty Images

The O.C. follows Ryan Atwood, who moves in with the Cohens after getting kicked out of his mom's house, and starts a relationship with Marissa shortly after. While Peter Gallagher played Adam Brody's TV dad instead of Mischa's, Sandy was a definitely father figure for Marissa, and it seems like Peter felt that same responsibility off camera.

"I’ve always felt very protective of her," Peter told The Independent. "First fame is toxic. First fame can kill you. She was 16 years old when she started working with us, so just the fact that she’s still alive, I’m just so grateful."

“You can go to therapy every day for the rest of your life,” Mischa said in a 2023 interview with The Sunday Times. “There’s just a certain amount of trauma [from] all that I went through, particularly in my early twenties, that just doesn’t go away overnight.”

Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage revealed that season 1 overdose not only served as a cliffhanger, but gave “network executives an escape hatch on a performer they had been wary about” (via People). But Mischa Barton got her big break, becoming "how people knew the show," and (thankfully) Marissa recovered — only to die after a car crash in season 3.

As hard as that season 3 ending is to watch, Mischa did have the opportunity to watch it with Rachel Bilson and Melinda Clarke for the first time on their rewatch podcast. "It needed to be a thing, after everything she's been through, but if it's here I'll watch it with you," Mischa says.

"I couldn't do it, Mischa, I couldn't do it," Rachel adds. "But I'm going to do it if you're going to do it."

Mischa says even though being written off the show "was a little bit of a bummer," it wasn't necessarily a surprise. "The character was just doing too much," she told Vanity Fairin 2023. "And I think they ran out of places for her to go. It was not the best thing in the world, [but] there wasn’t much you could do at that point. It was whether she could sail off into the sunset, or die. At that point, I guess it’s better to have the more dramatic ending.”
What did you think of The O.C. season 3 finale? Let us know on Facebook!
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16 Unique Baby Names That Aren’t Nouns

The baby name business has gotten a bit out of hand. While we love unique names, sometimes names like Toaster or Tree just don’t have the same ring as, say, Leila or Patrick. But we totally get the desire to have a name that differs from the mainstream. After all, our names are Olivia Taylor and Jasmine Williams…which are very popular.

People are literally paying Baby Name Consultants, like TikToker Colleen, to generate a list of top names for their little bundle of joy.

This concept isn’t all that new, but the idea of paying thousands of dollars for a list of names certainly is. The Wall Street Journal reported on the rise of baby name consultants and “the art of ‘branding’ your newborn” in 2007. With the boom in baby naming books circa early 2000s and the rise in funky celeb baby names like Apple Martin and Shiloh Jolie-Pitt (and today’s celeb baby names like Moxie CrimeFighter Jillette, Pilot Inspektor and Exa Dark Sideræl), baby-naming has become a source of stress and incredible importance. So stressful, in fact, that a few thousand dollars doesn’t look so bad.

Don't worry though – we definitely won’t charge you $10k for your baby’s unique name. Instead, here are 16 baby names that are cute and unique, and might be the perfect fit for your little one.

Unique Baby Names for Girls 

Photo by Daniel Thomas / Unsplash

  • Aria — All we can think about is, "Here comes Queen Aria," whenever we see this name. Similar to Arielle's name from The Little Mermaid, Aria is synonymous with something melodic.
  • Iris — Just like the iris of your eye, this name means your daughter will more than likely have a bright and colorful personality!
  • Maia — Instead of the traditional spelling of Mya, this name has Latin roots and means "great."
  • Ayla — Your daughter will have sturdy characteristics thanks to her Hebrew name!
  • Asha — Let your little girl's name remind you that there's much to be hopeful about.
  • Naomi — Take a cue from famed model Naomi Campbell and let your daughter's name introduce her beauty to the world.

Gender-Neutral Unique Baby Names

Image via kaushal mishra/Unsplash

  • Campbell — This Scottish name means "beautiful field" so we're sure it means your son's being will be full of beautiful traits and perspectives .
  • Reese — There's a reason why Reese Witherspoon has such a enthralling personality. Her name means "passion" and "enthusiasm."
  • Greer — We can hear Beyoncé's song "Protector" playing when we say this name because it means "guardian."
  • Lennon — There's a reason the world was so drawn to John Lennon's name. Lennon means "dear one" and we know that's how you'll feel about your newborn!
  • Sterling — "Twinkle, Twinkle little star" has nothing on the name Sterling. On second thought, it could serve as your baby's unofficial theme song.

Unique Baby Names For Your Son

Photo by luis arias / Unsplash

  • Lennox — Trade the 'n' in Lennon for an X to get this Scottish name. It rolls off the tongue, making it easier for others to pronounce.
  • Adler — Your little eagle is sure to soar high under your watchful eye.
  • Rowan — Have a cute baby that was born with a head full of red hair? Name him Rowan which means "little Red one." While you're at it, check out these lucky Irish baby names for more ideas!
  • Banks — If you feel drawn to water during your pregnancy, there's a good chance there's a reason why. Banks translates to "edge of the river."
  • Rigg —Whether you choose this as your baby's first or middle name, it'll be easy for others to remember it!

We know this process can be stressful, but don’t worry. As a new parent, you have so many other things taking up space in your mind, and this shouldn’t be one of them. Whatever baby name you go with, we’re sure it will be amazing.

Got any other unique baby name ideas? Share them with us in the comments!

We've got all your baby needs at Brit + Co.

This post has been updated.

Lead image via Kelly Sikkema / Unsplash

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See Dylan Sprouse & Barbara Palvin's Dreamy Halloween Costume: "My Forever"

Former Disney Channel star Dylan Sprouse and model Barbara Palvin are certainly living the sweet life after tying the knot in Palvin's native Hungary. The couple, who have been together for nearly five years, have always been pretty low-key — except for the occasional and undeniably adorable Instagram post (and a stunning wedding!). We are simply ~obsessed~ with this celebrity couple, especially after they pulled out all the stops for their couple's Halloween costume. Keep scrolling to see some of their best moments :').

See Dylan Sprouse & Barbara Palvin's Halloween Couple's Costume!

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A post shared by Barbara Palvin (@realbarbarapalvin)

For Halloween Dylan Sprouse and Barbara Palvin stunned as the Phantom and Christine from Phantom of the Opera. Dylan wore a mask and a black cape, while Barbara wore a beautiful white dress. While the costume is obviously a nod to the musical, it also totally reminds us of their day as bride and groom.

"In Sleep He Sang to Me," Barbara said in a post, quoting the musical's titular number. "@dylansprouse my forever Phantom."

Who did Dylan Sprouse marry?

www.instagram.com

On the couple's wedding day (July 15, 2023), Barbara wore a Vivienne Westwood wedding gown to celebrate her Hungarian nuptials, bringing together their nearest and dearest for an intimate(-ish) celebration. Barbara and Dylan tied the knot on her parent's property, which conveniently doubles as an event venue, with plans to host an larger wedding in California in the fall.

"This past weekend was supposed to be an intimate event, but we ended up having 115 guests in the end because there are a lot of people we care about, and we wanted them all to be there," Barbara told Vogue.

When did Dylan Sprouse and Barbara Palvin get engaged?

www.instagram.com

Barbara Palvin on Instagram: "♥️"

After months of speculation surrounding the couple's engagement, Dylan and Barbara confirmed their engagement in conversation with Sprouse's twin brother, actor Cole Sprouse, for V Magazine in June, sharing that they got engaged last September.

"We didn't necessarily feel the need to be fully transparent with the public about that aspect of our engagement," Dylan said. "What we wanted to do with Stephen [Gan, V editor-in-chief] and the V team is make something that was kind of tongue-in-cheek about the nature of private versus public. We're playing with the idea of perception."

Barbara noted that the lovebirds wanted to announce the news "on our time," adding, "When some people leaked the information that we got engaged, our PR team was like, 'Hey, so you guys should do maybe a post about it or talk to this magazine or talk to that magazine…' That really annoyed me because I knew we were building this story up. So, I'm very happy that we ended up doing it our way."

When did Barbara Palvin and Dylan Sprouse start dating?

Sean Zanni / Stringer / Getty Images Entertainment

See Dylan Sprouse & Barbara Palvin's Dreamy Halloween Costume: "My Forever"

According to People, the couple met back in 2017 after a party when the Suite Life On Deck star slid into the model’s DMs (and as they say, the rest is history). The duo made their relationship Instagram official back in 2018 with Barbara’s sweet birthday tribute for Dylan’s 26th birthday.

Let’s be real here for a second though, we all knew they were endgame the minute Dylan went above and beyond to support Barbara at the Victoria Secret Fashion Show that same year (remember this viral video?). Three days after the fashion show, the Hungarian model told Vogue Australia that she hadn’t had a boyfriend in six years, but had now found “the perfect guy” in Dylan (we aren’t crying, you are).

How old are Barbara Palvin and Dylan Sprouse?

Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images

Barbara Palvin was born on October 8, 1993, making her 31 years old. Dylan Sprouse was born on August 4, 1992, meaning he's 32 years old. So there's only a one-year age gap between them!

Stay up to date with all of Brit + Co's favorite celebrity relationships. Let us know your thoughts on Twitter!

This post has been updated.

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Elle & Dakota Fanning Will Collab On Apple's 'Margo's Got Money Troubles'

2017's The Beguiled gave us one of the best groups of people of all time: Elle Fanning, Nicole Kidman, Sofia Coppola, and Kirsten Dunst just to name a few. And we're finally getting an Elle and Nicole reunion thanks to Apple TV+! "THRILLED to bring @rufithorpe genius hysterical heart-wrenching heartwarming book to your TV screens alongside a dream group of people!" Elle says on Instagram. Rather than having to test the success of its pilot, the series has already been ordered — even though the book it's based on isn't even out yet! Here's everything you need to know about the series.

  • Dakota and Elle Fanning will produce the upcoming Apple TV+ show Margo's Got Money Troubles.
  • The series follows Margo, who signs up for OnlyFans after learning she's pregnant.
  • The cast includes Elle Fanning, Nicole Kidman, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Nick Offerman.

Who's in the Margo's Got Money Troubles cast?

Amy Sussman/Mike Coppola/Getty Images

Margo's Got Money Troubles Cast

We couldn't contain our excitement when we learned Margo's Got Money Troubles will star Nicole Kidman and Elle Fanning, but knowing Michelle Pfeiffer is also joining the cast is too much to bear! This is the first time the actress will collaborate with her husband, TV creator David E. Kelley, so we can't wait to see the magic they'll create (via Deadline).

Nick Offerman from The Last of Us and Parks and Rec will also star.

When is Margo's Got Money Troubles coming out?

Ron Lach/Pexels

Margo's Got Money Troubles Release Date

We don't have an official release date for Elle Fanning and Nicole Kidman's TV show yet. I'm thinking if the TV show is in the early stages of planning, we could see it in 2025! Check out all of this year's best New TV Shows to hold you over until then.

What is Margo's Got Money Troubles about?

Amazon

Margo's Got Money Troubles Plot

Margo Millet is the daughter of a Hooter's waitress named Shyanne (Michelle Pfeiffer) and an ex-wrestler (via Deadline). She's always had to make it on her own, even though she's not sure how. When she enrolls in her local junior college, she's totally unprepared to get swept up into a torrid love affair with her English professor — or to get pregnant.

Now at 20 years old, Margo needs an income and fast. She decides to experiment with OnlyFans and ends up taking some of her estranged father's advice from the world of wrestling to create a character users will fall in love with. You can order the book now!

What is Elle Fanning and Nicole Kidman's new TV show?

Tima Miroshnichenko/Pexels

Margo's Got Money Troubles is coming soon to Apple TV+ thanks to a bunch of different producers. A24 is backing the film, as well as Elle and Dakota Fanning’s production company Lewellen Pictures and Nicole Kidman’s Blossom Films, to name a few.

What else has Elle Fanning and Nicole Kidman starred in?

Focus Features

Elle Fanning and Nicole Kidman starred in 2017's The Beguiled. The movie follows John McBurney, an injured Union soldier, who winds up at a female Southern boarding school after deserting the Civil War. But soon, as the women help him, tensions turn to rivalries and friends turn to enemies.

Are you excited for Elle Fanning and Nicole Kidman's TV reunion? Let us know what other New TV Shows you're watching in the comments.

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This post has been updated.

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