Initial Screen Layout

I have looked at a large number of examples and tutorials, but I have yet to find an answer to this (simple?) question.

I am unsure how to start with my layout. I will have a ribbon on the top (Like Office) A left window, like the Solution Navigator in VS 2010, a center window with the primary content and a right window like the Properties. The difference is I want to skew the right and left windows instead of sliding them out of the way so they are always visible but allows the center window to expand to the limits of the other two. Finally on the bottom I want a status bar.

Am I looking at three canvases on the main canvas? Am I looking at a series of grids? Grids, to me, are like Tables in HTML. I never did like that sort of layout.

I have read two books on C# with WPF and they offer a ton of information about OOP and little about everything else. One does a pretty good job of discussing controls, but they don't offer any guidance on "Layout." The tutorials I have found are too simple for this question.

I would appreciate your input.

I have reviewed a bunch of stuff regarding controls and layouts. I think that, for what I want, I need three separate windows, not three columns. I could have been clearer in my original post. I want to "Rotate" the left and right windows into the screen, giving more room for the center window.

Still willing to listen to opinions.