Update 1
I see you have already selected an answer (prematurely, I think). Here is the first iteration of what I believe you are trying to achieve. Without need for setting bounds or preferred sizes..
import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.image.BufferedImage;
import javax.swing.*;
import javax.swing.border.EmptyBorder;
public class AAAA extends JFrame {
private JPanel contentPane;
/**
* Launch the application.
*/
public static void main(String[] args) {
EventQueue.invokeLater(new Runnable() {
public void run() {
try {
AAAA frame = new AAAA();
frame.setVisible(true);
} catch (Exception e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
}
});
}
/**
* Create the frame.
*/
public AAAA() {
super("Laid Out");
setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
// OMG! If you can make a GUI break at 1336 px wide, it should be
// possible to make it break at ..much smaller!
//setBounds(100, 100, 1136, 520);
setBackground(Color.YELLOW);
contentPane = new JPanel();
contentPane.setBackground(Color.BLUE);
contentPane.setBorder(new EmptyBorder(5, 5, 5, 5));
contentPane.setLayout(new BorderLayout(0, 0));
setContentPane(contentPane);
// make it a FlowLayout as FlowLayout.LEADING with no spacing to
// make the button snug up against the top left
JPanel panel = new JPanel(
new FlowLayout(FlowLayout.LEADING, 0, 0));
panel.setBackground(Color.GREEN);
contentPane.add(panel, BorderLayout.NORTH);
//panel.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(1024,400));
JButton btnNewButton = new JButton("New button");
// we change the margin to make the button bigger than natural size.
btnNewButton.setMargin(new Insets(6, 22, 6, 22));
panel.add(btnNewButton);
JPanel panel_1 = new JPanel();
// create a solic color image to both pad the GUI and
// provide visual indication of where it is.
BufferedImage bi = new BufferedImage(
400,200,BufferedImage.TYPE_INT_RGB);
JLabel padder = new JLabel(new ImageIcon(bi));
panel_1.add(padder);
panel_1.setBackground(Color.RED);
contentPane.add(panel_1, BorderLayout.CENTER);
pack();
setMinimumSize(getSize());
}
}