My idea is to have addressable LED strips built into the edges, powered by an arduino and controlled by an RGB LCD shield. I pretty much have that part figured out. What I was planning on doing was getting a few sheets of 3/4" thick MDF to make a 5'x5' or 6'x6' platform for the top. This will be supported by a few (probably 3 in the middle and 1 running along each edge) 2x4's running through across the platform. There will be a bottom platform for a little more 2x4 support. The arduino will go in between these 2 platforms. The edges of the top platform will be cut a couple inches inward and I plan to put down some polycarbonate or some kind of translucent material that can hold up being stepped on. My questions are:

1) Is the structure as a whole overkill? I don't mean to make this easily portable but it shouldn't be impossible for 2 people to transport either.

2) Does anyone know what it'd take to mount the LCD shield so it can be controlled from the side of the floor?

3) Does anyone have better ideas on how to make the same type of system work? I feel like there's gotta be some way to make a 1 layer floor work with lights.

4) General advice? Tips? Criticisms?