I think frames might be your best bet.
Here is a small example
Index.html
Code:
<center><img href="PrettyGraphic.ext"><br><br>
<a href="front.htm">Enter</a>
LEFT WINDOW(left.htm)
Code:
<font size=4><u>Navigation</u></font><br><br>
LINKS<br>
<a href="games.htm" target="main">Games</a><br>
MAIN WINDOW(main.htm)
Code:
<center>Startup Page
PAGE TO DISPLAY BOTH(front.htm)
Code:
<frameset cols="15%,*" frameborder="0" framespacing="0" border="0">
<frame name="left" src="left.htm" marginwidth="3" marginheight="10" scrolling="no">
<frame name="main" src="main.htm" marginwidth="5" marginheight="10">
</frameset>
The right frame, is for content, and the left frame is for links. Create a new page, and put some babbling in it. Put the filename inside of a link, in left htm. Make sure to point this link, that is opening the new file, towards the main window, like so:
Code:
<a href="games.htm" target="main">Games</a>