Upholstery and egg crate type foams will not be rigid, and may not be flame retardant. EPS and XPS construction insulation foam are lighter weight, more rigid, and could be covered with batting and fabric. They come in 4'x8' sheets, but can be cut with a utility knife into smaller sizes. They are available from a big box home improvement store like HD or Lowes. Not sure if they are flame retardant. Depending on how large a piece you are mounting, I would think they may be light enough in weight that they could be mounted to the wall with 3M removeable hangers of some sort.

Hi Van Dana, If you simply want to work over it, how about: - decorating the walls with fun shelves - the entire space including the beam. How and the choice of shelves will be what would help successfully cover this up - use wall decals. You can even use a big mirror or mirror decals on this portion of the ju tting beam -use patterned wallpapers. You can give a separate one to the beam -decorate with photos/art -for the other beam you can think of light hanging decorations like a sun catcher beads curtain. For you imagination: or use decals Hope that helps? atom INTERIORS, Bangalore

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It’s great you're focusing on recycling! If the dado tiles are in good condition and neutral, you can leave them, but check grout and overall security. When replacing bathroom floor tiles, ensure the waterproofing layer remains intact, as redoing it can prevent water damage. For plywood, if the quality is good, you can reuse it, but ensure a skilled carpenter finishes it properly. The kitchen countertop can be reused if carefully removed and in good shape. Just make sure all structural and waterproofing aspects are intact.