Australian furniture designers carve out sustainable future

MELBOURNE -- Australia's best-known furniture designer is London-based, Sydney-born Marc Newson, whose modern experimental shapes, clever aesthetics and sleek finishes have made him an international celebrity with luxury retailers such as Swarovski and Louis Vuitton among his clients.

The 125 signed copies of "Marc Newson Works 84-24," a tribute published earlier this year, sold for $5,000 each. But there is another side to the Australian furniture design scene that focuses on sustainable, organic materials and seeks to reflect the country's diverse landscape and broad mix of cultures.