If I have no time and the quilt is for someone that I want to give a handmade quilt, but not spend lots of time on, I'll use a panel with some added borders. Otherwise I like brights, with a theme that the Mom may be using in the nursery.
I have to share a story on myself. Few years ago, while visiting a super friend, we shopped for fabric for a quilt for her first born g-child--a boy. Since they were from northern Michigan, I wanted to use fabrics that would represent the woods, in strong colors. Well, I did--a split rail design, strong colors, not sure I liked them together at all--like I told the new Mom, never should two very old friends pick fabric AFTER a lunch sampling at the local micro-brewery!