I spent a week with the Philips Hue Play Wall Washer, and it instantly elevated my living room

I've been using Philips Hue lights for three years, and once you're committed to the ecosystem, each new release looks more tempting than the last. In September 2025, Philips released its Hue Play Wall Washer, a discreet lamp with three overlapping blocks of color that can cast a shifting glow of light against any wall, and I had to try it for myself.

The washer projects Philips Hue's signature color scenes across your room, but it can also be paired with your TV or gaming console to extend the ambiance beyond the screen and into your living room.

I set it up in my living room, along with the Hue Bridge to allow complete, tailored control, and here's what I thought.

Philips Hue Play Wall Washer: Specs

Philips Hue Play Wall Washer: Setup

I set up the Philips Hue Play Wall Washer alongside my new Hue Bridge Pro, and the process was pretty seamless. I was sent a set of two, which included an adapter to plug both lights into one port.

On the plus side, this reduces waste and spares you a socket on your (likely busy) TV extension cable. But the downside is that the lights have to sit relatively close together. I plugged the lights in to the right side of my TV, and the left-most light's cable needed to be pulled very tight to sandwich each side of my screen equally.

Pairing with the app couldn't be easier, however. All I needed to do was scan a QR code and my lights connected to my Hub base. As part of Hue's SpatialAware tech, I was then able to tell the app where the lights sat relative to my other Hue products' placement, which then allows Hue to tailor scenes to my specific space.

I'm able to toggle my lighting settings from anywhere in my home, and the lights are incredibly responsive. I've also enjoyed using Hue's 'All Day Scenes' settings, which automatically shift between different settings throughout the day. You can schedule these to specific time slots to adapt to the shifting light outside your home.

While it's great to get the added functionality using the Hue Bridge Pro, it does set you back $69 / £49. On top of the already pricey lights, this is an expensive upgrade for your living space. If you were willing to splash yet more cash, you could pick up a Hue Play HDMI Sync Box and use the Washer lights to pair with TV shows or video games, extending the hues beyond the TV screen and onto your walls. Just be warned, this costs $349 / £249. Ouch.

Philips Hue Play Wall Washer: Performance

I'm far from a minimalist, so I wasn't sure if my TV unit could handle another trinket, but fortunately the Washer is small and sleek and slotted discretely onto my console. It comes in white and black (I opted for black) and works at quite close proximity to any wall. You could even put it on the floor, if you wanted.

Of course, the angle does mean it will cast shadows upwards from your TV and any photo frames on your wall, as you can see in the photos below.

I didn't have an issue with how this looked in my home, but when it came to taking photos it struck me that this is definitely less seamless than the likes of Philips' lightstrips which can be adhered directly around your TV.

You can toggle with the brightness of your lights up to 1,035 lumens, so don't let the mood lighting for my "Sex and the City" marathon fool you, these lights are also plenty capable of illuminating your entire room, no overhead light needed.

Another potential use of these washer lights is in the bedroom. With All Day Scenes that can gradually increase the light level in your room as you wake up, and wind it down when it's time to sleep, it would act as an excellent stand-in for a wake-up light.

Should you buy the Philips Hue Play Wall Washer?

The Philips Hue Play Wall Washer slots neatly into any space of the home, and allows you to totally automate your home lighting in a 24-hour period. And if you do pair it with an HDMI Sync Box, it will turn any TV into a home cinema.

I'd grit my teeth as I enter my credit card information, but once you rip that Band-Aid off, this is definitely a smart light worth buying. As a Homes Editor, I've spent years researching the best ways to elevate my space, but the easiest and most transformative option was staring me in the face: lighting.