you must be able to remove a panel in order to see what's up there (or you couldn't change bulbs!) I made this change in a rental of hours and it really updated the room!

working with lights in the ceiling if you have a decent sized attic is not too much trouble for an electrician. It will require an electrician to do it though. It is not a DYI project.

Try taking a look behind the panels to see if the popcorn ceiling finish continues all the way to the edges. I think it could be worth the money to hire an electrician to update the lighting.

It is going to look dated even if you paint the strips white or bronze, but white would be the least obtrusive change.

I think that you will find that the plexi and brass frame is easy to remove. Behind that it looks like you will have several fluorescent light fixtures. It will be surprisingly easy for an electrician to come in and add some recessed lighting! You may find that when you remove the existing lighting you will have patchy ceiling popcorn. But be assured that this is easy to remove with a spray bottle and a scraper...with a drop cloth underneath. Good luck and I am sure you will be happy you made the changes.