This works ...
- ADD this mark-up to the page-footer of your themes frontpage layout (check elegance/config.php for guidence)
<div class="row">
<div class="col-sm-4">
<div class="panel panel-default">
<div class="panel-heading">
<h3 class="panel-title">Footer Blocks (Left)</h3>
</div>
<div class="panel-body">
<?php echo $OUTPUT->blocks('foot-pre'); ?>
</div>
</div>
</div><!-- /.col-sm-4 -->
<div class="col-sm-4">
<div class="panel panel-default">
<div class="panel-heading">
<h3 class="panel-title">Footer Blocks (Middle)</h3>
</div>
<div class="panel-body">
<?php echo $OUTPUT->blocks('foot-mid'); ?>
</div>
</div>
</div><!-- /.col-sm-4 -->
<div class="col-sm-4">
<div class="panel panel-default">
<div class="panel-heading">
<h3 class="panel-title">Footer Blocks (Right)</h3>
</div>
<div class="panel-body">
<?php echo $OUTPUT->blocks('foot-post'); ?>
</div>
</div>
</div><!-- /.col-sm-4 -->
</div>
2. Add relevant $strings for footer left/middle/right in elegance/lang/en
$string['region-foot-pre'] = 'Ft-Left';
$string['region-foot-mid'] = 'Ft-Mid';
$string['region-foot-post'] = 'Ft-Right';
3. Add these three new block regions to elegance /config.php within the $THEMES->layouts where you see...
// The site home page.
'frontpage' => array(
'file' => 'default.php',
'regions' => array('side-post', 'side-middle ', 'hidden-dock', 'foot-pre', 'foot-mid', 'foot-post'),
'defaultregion' => 'foot-mid',
'options' => array('nonavbar' => true),
),
By the way this is an alternative, and one which is pertinent to Bootstrap Version 3 which is what Elegance is.
It uses panel css, which is part of Bootstrp 3, and as I am using the same in a theme I am making I thought this may be of interest to you. My theme uses block renderers, but it's not for show at this moment in time, however this is a simple alternative. It also means you can add your own titles to the panel header, since you are delving into coding. 
If you get stuck give me a shout.
Cheers & Happy New Year!
Mary
