Newbie: Howto Use CSS and Images folder?

[eluser]zimco[/eluser]
Using CI 1.6.1

I'm not getting how to use a css file and any style related images in an images folder.

I put the following lines in the /system/application/config/config.php

Code:

/*
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------
| CSS - stylesheets
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
| Set some stylesheet
|
*/
$config['css'] = "default.css";

Then created a controller Home like:

Code:

class Home extends Controller {
   var    $base;
   var    $css;
  
  
   function Home()
   {
       parent::Controller();
       $this->base = $this->config->item('base_url');
       $this->css = $this->config->item('css');
       $this->load->helper('url');
       $this->load->helper('form');
   }

/*======================================================================*\
    Function:    index()
    Purpose:    Provide the website entry home page
    Input:        
    Output:        Display home page view
\*======================================================================*/
     function index()
   {
   $data['css'] = $this->css;
   $data['base'] = $this->base;

   // load the header view
   $data['header'] = $this->load->view('header', '', true);
   // load the menu view
   $data['menu'] = $this->load->view('menu', '', true);
   // Load the page content
   $data['content'] = $this->load->view('content','', true);
   // load the header view
   $data['footer'] = $this->load->view('footer', '', true);

   $this->load->view('layout', $data);

   }

My /views/layout.php page looks like:

Code:

<?php echo $header; ?>

<?php echo $menu; ?>

<?php echo $content; ?>

<?php echo $footer;  ?>

The page loads but is not styled and no images appear. All i see is my page text and links. The CSS and images folder are currently located at the top level of my web-application folder: in the same folder as the system folder, user_guide folder, license file, index file.

It is probably a simple concept i am not understanding so could somebody with more CI experience and patience tell me what i am doing wrong?