Yes, exactly. 
Also, once you have the bridge, all the individual bulbs connected to the hue bridge regardless of brand will show up in the smartthings app after you add the bridge to your smartthings account.
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Oh, and to avoid any other confusion, not all of the devices connected to the hue bridge will be visible in the smartthings app if you don’t have a smartthings hub. The motion sensors do show up. I think the wall switches don’t. But it doesn’t matter, because the wall switches will act as a parallel means of control (I do this in my own house). Using the wall switch will control the bulbs via the hue bridge. Writing a routine in the smartthings app will control the bulbs via the smartthings integration.
The hue bridge will also tell the smartthings app if the bulbs turn on, no matter how they turn on. So you as a customer won’t notice any difference except you won’t be able to use the wall switches connected to the hue bridge to control other smartthings connected devices that are not connected to the hue Bridge. There are some ways around that, but it’s a lot more complicated and, like I said, you probably won’t even care if it’s just your basement switch.
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Keeping in mind that there must be power to the smart bulbs so they either need to be hot wired or the existing dumb switches need to be left in the on position.
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This is actually my favorite smart switch to use with smart bulbs Connected to a hue bridge. We have five of them at our house. They are very intuitive for guests. It fits over the top of the existing switch, so you leave that powered on, but this one is right where people expect the switch to be and works the way they expect a dimmer switch to work.
https://www.amazon.com/Lutron-Aurora-Dimmer-Philips-Z3-1BRL-WH-L0/dp/B07RJ14FBS/
You can also get a base for the rectangular hue dimmer switch, and the base will fit over your existing switch. Same idea. Samotech is one company that makes the bases, but there are several.
https://www.amazon.com/Light-Switch-cover-Philips-Dimmer/dp/B09BFW76BW/
It ends up looking like this (the original dumb switch is underneath in the on position).
It works fine but we have a lot of health aides and other people coming through the house and they just didn’t recognize it as a dimmer switch, so the Aurora works better for our household, even though it is more expensive. Choice is good.
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Given that he has multiple dumb switches that control the existing bulbs, couldn’t he get multiple of the Lutron dimmers and synchronize those without having to invest in smart bulbs as well?
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Sure, there are all kinds of options for smart switches with dumb bulbs. But my guess is that will end up costing more for the project, and it does require rewiring. A lot of people like smart bulbs because they don’t require rewiring. Choice is good.
Lutron mostly uses their own proprietary frequency, clear connect. I like them and have quite a few in my house as well, particularly for control of fluorescent ceiling fixtures which don’t have a smart bulb option… But they also occasionally make some zigbee devices specifically for use with the hue bridge. The aurora dimmer that I linked to above is one of the latter. It doesn’t work with the regular Lutron system. It’s designed for use with the hue bridge.
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You guys have given me a ton of super helpful insights here, my thanks! I realize I have a lot to learn about setting this up (e.g. this is the first I’ve heard of Zigbee and Matter), and I am beginning to understand this much better already. Much to mull over and think on, I appreciate your help so much!
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Consumer reports has a good explainer article about Matter.
Matter Smart Home Standard FAQ - Consumer Reports
But if you want to use matter to communicate with smartthings, you will need to get a smartthings/Aeotec Hub.
FAQ: What do I need to add a Matter device to the SmartThings app? Do I need a bridge router device?
And the matter rollout has been bumpy so far, it’s not really fully baked yet. It’s something to be aware of, but to be honest, not super helpful right now.
But there are quite a few devices that offer multiple integrations. The Philips hue bridge probably has the most of almost anything. It is certified to work with matter, but it doesn’t have to work with matter. At present it actually offers three different official integration methods with smartthings. So again, choice is good.
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I have found the Leviton wifi switches work quite well with smartthings and no hub would be required.
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Have you investigated the LED tubes designed to replace a fluorescent, JD? Don’t know if any are dimmable–which would be a plus–but they do save you some electricity. I looked into them once–some are available that do not require the ballast to be removed–but did not end up using any. (It was for a basement workshop at a previous house and I found LED replacement fixtures to be more cost effective. They also didn’t have to look good! 
)
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Overtime we have been slowly replacing the entire fluorescent fixture (which was installed in the 1950s and looks like it) with a sealed LED. Kept the same smart switch which we already had installed. Looks good, works well, and, as you note, Saves energy. They aren’t dimmable, but we didn’t need them to be.
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Yeah, good reasons. Probably more cost effective as well as not being as old as I am! 
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Standard Leviton Wi-FI switches don’t require a hub for ST, but use the cloud->cloud integration meaning they don’t execute locally. I’m using them this way at one of my houses (in addition to using them with Matter over Wi-Fi to a Echo Dot 4). If you want to use them with Matter over Wi-Fi with ST, you need to have a v2/v3/Aeotec hub, SmartThings Station, or an appliance with Family Hub built-in.
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Understood. I was under the impression OP was looking for a simple solution for a few lights. Matter and local execution may not be necessary for what he was looking for.
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Hi you guys, thanks again for all the advice! Can I run a potential setup past you all and see if these products will work together? (Being a new user, I’m only allowed to send two links per post, I can send links to the other products if need be)
Lutron Aurora Smart Bulb Dimmer Switch | for Philips Hue Smart Bulbs | Z3-1BRL-WH-L0 | White
Philips Hue Bridge
innr WiFi white Bulbs, A19/E26
Linkind Color Changing Smart WiFi Light Bulbs
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0BYP44116/ref=ox_sc_act_image_3?smid=AN2F5KYPBB6KO&psc=1
EIGHTREE Smart Plug
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0B2PFFDKF/ref=ox_sc_act_image_1?smid=A1QZ6FVN06JT82&psc=1
Would I be able to sync all the devices (wall switch, smart bulbs and smart plugs) to the Hue Bridge, and then program the basement smart wall dimmer switch to tell the basement smart bulbs (which will always be powered on), to turn/dim on/off?
I believe I would use SmartThings app to control all the programming for the whole setup.
Am I on the right track, thinking correctly?
edited “Hub” to “Hue Bridge”
Unfortunately, no. 
Devices which work with the hue bridge will say they work with the hue bridge in their product description. And they will be Zigbee Devices, specifically Zigbee 3.0.
The linkind bulbs you linked to are Wi-Fi that don’t work with the hue bridge. There are some zigbee models from the same company that do, but you have to read the product descriptions carefully. 
as always, the first rule of home automation applies: “the model number matters.”
And the Eighttree plug is a WiFi device by Tuya that doesn’t work with the hue bridge either.
IConnectHue is a third-party app, which keeps a good list of hue compatible devices, but their emphasis is on ones for the European markets so you will have to do some research on each candidate to see if they’re available in the US. (if someone else knows of a better reference site, hopefully they’ll post it.)
It’s where I usually start, but it might feel like too much work to someone else.
In any case, if any of your candidates doesn’t say “works with the Philips Hue bridge“ it almost certainly doesn’t.
btw, the device was originally named “hue bridge,“ then, for a year or two, they changed the name to “hue hub,“ and now they’re back to calling it “hue bridge“ again. Same device all the way through, just a marketing decision.
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Okay, thanks JD! So the INNR bulbs would work though? (You had posted earlier that they would, as well as IKEA). So if I look for Hue compatible and/or Zigbee 3.0 capable to ensure communication with the Philips Hue Bridge?
Look for Hue compatible. That’s a big selling point, so companies are going to tell you if that particular model does work with the Hue Bridge. It’s not going to be hidden.
As far as Innr and ikea, definitely many of their models do, but not all I think. You can either start from the iconnected Hue link I just gave you, which does go model by model, or you can do your own searches, and just verify that any models that come up say they work with the Hue Bridge.
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Hi all!
Just wanted to send an update that I was able to get the basement light project working! I used 2 Lutron Aurora wall switches, the Phillips Hue Bridge, and Phillips Smart bulbs. Works exactly as I had hoped! I have learned a lot from your advice and I’m grateful for the help!
All the best,
John
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