How do I get hideous decorative coving down? Its not polystyrene.

[HowDoISayNo]

We moved in a couple of months ago and the previous owner has clearly attempted to add 'original features' to a 1950's ex LA house. Some I can live with but the coving in the kitchen is awful! I thought i would be no problem to pull down as I assumed it was polystyrene but its not. Its bloody solid (no idea what it is actually made of).

My grandad said taking it down will pull chunks off the ceiling and wall off. We will be getting the kitchen done next year as it needs it and the thought of having a lovely new kitchen with the ugly coving is really annoying me. Normal coving I could put up with, even slightly decorative like the front room I can live with but the stuff in the kitchen really is ugly.

It might be plaster or it could just be that it is dense polystyrene and the coats of paint over it have made it very hard on the outside. Could you have it skimmed over by a plasterer instead of removing it? And can you post a photo - I'm just nosey and would like to see what it's like!

Its definitely not polystyrene with loads of paint unfortunately, it feels very solid and has a definite knock to it when you bang it.

I can't do a photo, don't know how on a tablet and then upload it.

Its similar to this coving but its not fruit, I think its flowers.

We had the same and we ended up pulling it down and having the ceiling re plastered.

Damn. Was hoping to avoid that but some of the walls will need plastering/skimming anyway so could get it done at the same time. Was trying to keep the cost down.