middle background, how do you get one? Options

[ep1986]

how do you add a middle background color (the one around the modules) while keeping a second, larger background intact? An example of the type of thing I'm looking for can be see on this layout:

http://www.createblog.com/myspace-layouts/34952-spectacular/

(Except I would want my modules to be a different color than the middle background)

I've searched for codes online but they either squish my modules thinner, and/or the middle background's sides don't match up with the top horizontal bar with the links (home, mail, profile, music, etc.) (NOTE: I'd like for this top links bar to match the color of the middle background, as well)

So anyway, what is the code that will accomplish all of this? Thanks!!

[ep1986]

does the center background always have to be an image? is there a way to do it without making an image and just setting a color? because the codes I looked into for "center background" online never mentioned anything about making my own image...

and, if I do it the image way...
1)would I be able to keep the image I already have in the background in the top left?
2)wouldn't the alignment between the top links bar and the middle "background" that I wanted get distorted when the browser window isn't maximized? since it's just an image


For example: in something like this, http://www.createblog.com/myspace-layouts/...iction/preview/ is that white background an image or just a white background color?