String name = "Serif"; //"Serif", "SansSerif", "Monospaced", or a font name
int style = Font.ITALIC //Font.ITALIC, Font.BOLD, or Font.BOLD | Font.ITALIC
int size = 14 //any number size
myButton.setFont(new Font(name, style, size));

myButton.setForeground(new Color(255,0,0)); //changes font color (in this case makes it red)
myButton.setBackground(new Color(0,0,255)); //changes background color (in this case blue)

myButton.setEnabled(false);
myButton.setEnabled(true);

ImageIcon ico = new ImageIcon("picture.gif"); //any image
myButton.setIcon(ico);
ImageIcon ico2 = new ImageIcon("otherpicture.gif");
myButton.setDisabledIcon(ico2);

button.setBorderPainted(false);
DDT TJ 08: button.setFocusPainted(false);

WindowUtilities.setJavaLookAndFeel();

import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.event.*;
import javax.swing.*;

public class WindowUtilities {

 //WINDOWS (or whatever your OS is) LOOK -->  WINDOWS BUTTONS

 public static void setNativeLookAndFeel() {
   try {
     UIManager.setLookAndFeel(UIManager.getSystemLookAndFeelClassName());
   } catch(Exception e) {
     System.out.println("Error setting native LAF: " + e);
   }
 }

 //JAVA LOOK -->  JAVA BUTTONS

 public static void setJavaLookAndFeel() {
   try {
     UIManager.setLookAndFeel(UIManager.getCrossPlatformLookAndFeelClassName());
   } catch(Exception e) {
     System.out.println("Error setting Java LAF: " + e);
   }
 }

  //DARK RED COLOR-->  COOLER-LOOKING BUTTONS!

 public static void setMotifLookAndFeel() {
   try {
     UIManager.setLookAndFeel("com.sun.java.swing.plaf.motif.MotifLookAndFeel");
   } catch(Exception e) {
     System.out.println("Error setting Motif LAF: " + e);
   }
 }

}

buttonName.setIcon(new ImageIcon("images/btn1.gif"));

/*
* CustomFrame.java
*
* Created on January 5, 2007, 6:21 PM
*
* To change this template, choose Tools | Template Manager
* and open the template in the editor.
*/

package customframe;
import java.awt.Color;
import java.awt.Container;
import java.awt.Dimension;
import java.awt.FlowLayout;
import javax.swing.*;
/**
*
* @author P1249
*/
public class CustomFrame extends JFrame{
    
    /** Creates a new instance of CustomFrame */
    public CustomFrame() {
        
        int h = 50;
        
        int h1 = h - 10;
        
        int w = h;
        
        this.setUndecorated(true);
        
        setSize(500,500);
        
        Container container = getContentPane();
        
        JPanel p = new JPanel(new FlowLayout(FlowLayout.RIGHT));
        
        p.setBackground(new Color(200,200,150));
        
        p.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(500,h));
        
        JButton button_1 = new JButton("_");
        
        button_1.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(w,h1));
        
        p.add(button_1);
        
        JButton button_2 = new JButton("x");
        
        button_2.setPreferredSize(new Dimension(w,h1));
        
        p.add(button_2);
        
        container.add(p,"North");
        
        setVisible(true);
    }
    
    /**
     * @param args the command line arguments
     */
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        // TODO code application logic here
        
        new CustomFrame();
        
    }
    
}