2026 Tampa Magazines "Best of the City" Winner — Elevated Interiors for Tampa's Luxury New-Construction Homes
Ackerbloom Vela Interiors was just named a 2026 Tampa Magazines "Best of the City" winner in interior design — the firm's latest recognition among Tampa's best, following a string of earlier honors. Led by founder Debra Ackerbloom, the firm has spent more than two decades shaping some of Tampa's most distinctive luxury interiors. Based in Hyde Park Village, Ackerbloom Vela specializes in residential interior design with a particular focus most designers don't take on: working directly during the new-construction phase, sourcing finish materials, fixtures, and architectural details alongside builders — not just furnishing a home after it's already built.
Debra brings a background that's unusual in the design world: dual degrees in Interior Design and Psychology. That combination shows up in how the firm approaches every project — treating a home's design not just as a visual exercise, but as something that shapes how the people living there actually feel day to day. As Debra has put it, well-executed interior design "positively impacts how people feel in their spaces, which ultimately elevates their overall quality of life."
A Team Built Around Craft
The firm's name reflects its collaborative core — Debra works alongside designers Jacinea Vela and Mary Ginley to carry projects from early material selection through final styling. Their combined portfolio spans a wide range of aesthetics, from modern coastal estates to traditional waterfront homes to clean, monochromatic modern interiors — evidence of a team that designs around each client's home and life, rather than applying one signature look to every project.
Recognized Across Tampa Bay and Beyond
Beyond the 2026 Best of the City win, Ackerbloom Vela Interiors has been named among Florida's Top 10 Interior Designers, holds a Pro HGTV Designer designation, and has been recognized repeatedly with Best of Tampa, Best of South Tampa, and Best of the Bay honors. The firm's work has also been featured in national publications, including Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, Vanity Fair, and House Trends.
A Fifth-Generation Floridian's Perspective
Debra Ackerbloom is a fifth-generation Floridian, and that local rootedness shows up in a design sensibility built for how people actually live in this area — from coastal light and materials to homes designed for entertaining. Outside the studio, she and her husband Nils share a love of travel, the arts, and time on the water, interests that inform the livable, unpretentious side of even the firm's most luxurious work.
