JPanel gridPanel = new JPanel();
// configure gridPanel...
JLabel statusLabel = new JLabel();
// configure statusLabel...
JFrame f = new JFrame();
f.setDefaultCloseOperation(JFrame.EXIT_ON_CLOSE);
Container cp = f.getContentPane();
// Default layout of contentPane is BorderLayout
// Add gridPanel to center of BorderLayout
cp.add(gridPanel);
// Add statusLabel to south section of BorderLayout
cp.add(statusLabel, BorderLayout.SOUTH);