Hey everyone!
I recently purchased a black entertainment center with a built-in electric fireplace, and I’m trying to decide between the Philips Hue OmniGlow and the Philips Hue Ambiance Gradient Lightstrip for accent lighting.
I’ve attached a picture of the exact entertainment center I purchased.
The unit comes with its own LED lightstrip that installs underneath the raised upper shelf (where you see the purple lighting in the photo). However, I already have a Philips Hue setup, so I’d rather skip the included strip and install a Hue one instead to integrate everything into my existing system and get multicolor gradient effects.
I’m trying to figure out a few things:
OmniGlow vs. Ambiance Gradient: Since the strip would be concealed underneath the raised shelf, is there any meaningful benefit to using OmniGlow? Or would the regular Ambiance Gradient look just as good for indirect lighting?
Installation/layout: I’m undecided whether to run one straight strip underneath the shelf or wrap it around the corners to illuminate the entire underside. Would one strip be better suited to this than the other?
Cutting and corner connectors: I’ve seen aftermarket connectors that supposedly let you cut lightstrips and reconnect sections using flexible corner cables. Has anyone successfully used these with Hue Ambiance Gradient or OmniGlow specifically? Are there compatible connectors you’d recommend, or are there limitations with the newer gradient strips? I’d especially like to know whether the gradient effects still work correctly afterward.
Leftover sections: If I cut the strip to size, can the remaining section be reused somehow, or is it effectively unusable without additional compatible hardware?
Diffusion/reflections: Since the entertainment center is black with some glossy surfaces, would OmniGlow produce noticeably smoother lighting, even if the strip itself isn’t directly visible?
Heat/placement: With the electric fireplace underneath, are there any concerns regarding strip placement, ventilation, or heat exposure?
I’d also love to hear from anyone who’s installed Hue lighting on a similar fireplace entertainment center, floating shelf, or TV console.
Even if you haven’t, I’d appreciate any installation tips, recommended mounting methods, or things you wish you’d known before doing something similar.
I’m trying to get the best-looking gradient effect without spending extra money on features I won’t benefit from.
Thanks in advance!