How to add 4 side by side containers I would like to add 4 columns/containers just above the footer of the homepage. Similar to the triptych blocks that the Bartik theme offers, except I would like to have 4 of them. I am using a Zen sub theme.

How would I go about adding 4 block and having them display one next to another?
You just need to define them in your .info file...

regions[four_first]   = Footer panel (first)
regions[four_second]  = Footer panel (second)
regions[four_third]   = Footer panel (third)
regions[four_fourth]  = Footer panel (fourth)


Then add them to your page.tpl...

&lt;?php if ($page['four_first'] || $page['four_second'] || $page['four_third'] || $page['four_fourth']): ?&gt;
    &lt;div id="footer-panels-wrapper"&gt;
       &lt;?php print render($page['four_first']); ?&gt;
       &lt;?php print render($page['four_second']); ?&gt;
       &lt;?php print render($page['four_third']); ?&gt;
       &lt;?php print render($page['four_fourth']); ?&gt;
    &lt;/div&gt;
&lt;?php endif; ?&gt;


When you have done this they will appear in /structure/blocks

The rest is down to CSS...