What a waste. Some furniture makers recoil when they cut open a raw board to discover its insides have been chewed up by invading insects. Others, however, see this as a unique opportunity to turn natural flaws into found treasures.

Riva 1920 has featured fascinating?recycling projects like those pictured here, in which weathered and worn materials were transformed into modern and appealing home objects. The timber, in this case, was salvaged from its watery grave (inspired by Venice – a place where water meets land) and turned into a series of creative tables.

Minimal steel is used to create structural joints and bridge material intersections, while glass is employed to make the wood visible from all angles.

In some items, the larvae-carved holes that wind into the wooden supports are turned outward for maximum visibility.

Resulting round and square side and coffee tables, stools and other accessories would look right at home as accents in anything from an ultramodern condo to a converted industrial loft space.

Some of these pieces are simple and practical, but others feature a wooden core that goes beyond structural necessity. While this is an interesting choice, it feels less effective than the works in which the wood plays both an aesthetic and functional role.