Hi BodyBalance,
This lot below is regarding a fresh 4.1.9 install with no modules installed that interfere with the side columns...
For your left column to have the entire length in one colour; in skin1/skin1.css...
locate...
.VertMenuLeftColumn {
and inside it add...
background-color:#FF0000; /* background in red*/
For changing the colour of the individual menu boxes; add this separately in skin1/skin1.css ...
.VertMenuRightColumn TD.VertMenuBox, .VertMenuLeftColumn TD.VertMenuBox {
background-color:#00FF00; /* background in green */
}
Or similarly, depending on your usage of the individual menus boxes, a simpler way...
Locate VertMenuBox and add the background-color property there...
.VertMenuBox {
background-color:#00FF00; /* background in green */
}
For background images use the css background-image property (here I am using the logo as an example)...
.VertMenuBox {
BACKGROUND-IMAGE: url(images/xlogo.gif);
}
For more info regarding the background image property read up here...
http://www.w3schools.com/css/css_background.asp
Hope this helps & remember to back up ;D
Doms