setBackground(Color.cyan); // see Graphics chapter.
Panel p = new Panel();
p.setBackground(Color.red);
p.add(applyB = new Button("Apply"));
applyB.setBackground(Color.white);
p.add(exitB = new Button("Exit"));
exitB.setForeground(Color.red);
add(p); // add (connect) "p" to "this", the Applet