I’ve had the same experience with painting raceways—looked great at first, but once the paint started to chip, it actually drew more attention to the problem spots. I’ve heard some folks use flexible trim paint or even a primer meant for plastics, but I haven’t tried that myself. As for the motion lights, battery-powered ones have been way less hassle for me than solar indoors. Swapping batteries every few months is a small price to pay for not having to worry about whether they’re getting enough sunlight. Solar just never seemed practical unless you’ve got a ton of natural light streaming in.
Honestly, I’m with you on the solar lights—unless you’ve got a sunroom, it just feels like more hassle than it’s worth. We tried a couple in our mudroom and they barely lasted through winter. The battery-powered ones have been solid, though. Has anyone here had luck disguising raceways completely? I’m debating whether to just embrace them as “industrial chic” or keep trying to hide them...