Bookshelf Recommendations

Seems it would be best for you to stick to a stand mount speaker.
Stands need not need to cost that much. Audioadvisor sells a steel 3-column pair for $110. Available are 20 and 24 inch heights. Columns can be filled (one has holes for speaker wire if desired). Speakers can be bluetacked to stands to be more solid.

With your room size some room treatment would benefit. ATS Acoustics sells absorptive material for DIY panels or prebuilt ones. They also can superimpose a picture onto fabric for covering panels which might be more tolerable to wife.

You have been given quite a list of speakers. So subjective a choice I find it hard to recommend. Given your room size I believe you certainly can find a pair that will be more extended and refined than the Wharfedales. I would search out reviews used speakers that sold new for $1500-$2500. Should not need to pay more than 50% retail. Watch those offered on AG and Ebay then research for reviews and specs. Vet seller prior to making offer.

Good luck in your search.  

Maybe, seeing that you are familiar with the wharfedales, you should have a listen to the 225’s? They are far better than the diamond 111’s. I would not dismiss a speaker based solely on what it costs, these 225’s are a real bargain imo, and a steal at the current sale price of 349.99. Not much can touch these at the price. I love them so much I bought a second pair in the event they are no longer available. Mind you, I own other speakers, harbeth p3esr as well as the spendor s3/5r2...but right now I’m enjoying the 225’s immensely. I am driving them with a marantz pm14s1 reference amp. Sometimes I switch it out and drive them with the rogue sphinx. With the sphinx, the bass is incredible, thanks to the sphinx class D and high damping factor. The 225's sit atop atacama Moseco 6 stands (24") and loaded with atacama atabites....biwired with qed silver anniversary xt biwire cables. 

Another vote for kef ls50 I just got a pair off eBay for $725 I'm running them with an oppo bdp 205 and svs prime amp, I think it sounds amazing.

If you appreciate midrange transparency and detail with richness and emotion check out the Salk Bagby Continuum-
comes very close to the legendary Harbeth P3ESR at less than half the cost.
Much more natural sounding than the LS50s IMHO.  
http://www.salksound.com/model.php?model=Bagby%20Continuum

@mesch: Thanks for your follow-up. Those are suggestions I’ll def pursue, and as I’ve enjoyed success with pre-owned over the decades [sole exception, a Linn Lk-140], it’s especially important now at my age, income, and rather modest level of discretionary income to $tretch my purchasing power.

@audioguyguy85: The praises you’ve sang of the W-225’s have not fallen on deaf ears. Because I’ve been inundated by suggestions—and I truly appreciate them all—I let a pair of preowned, but still NIB, slip by for < $300 bones (including shipping) last week.

You guys and everyone else on here are great. I feared my question might illicit some pedantic, derisive responses, but to a person they’ve been positive, courteous, and extremely helpful🔈👍

But I gotta do this thing soon, and get offa here. For some reason I’ve taken a liking to ML & Krell power amps since poking around these parts. I have neither the need nor dough for an amp of that caliber, but rationalizing non-essential purchases is an insidious weakness that I’ve battled since upgrading from a perfectly serviceable Technics SA-5060 receiver to a Kenwood KA-3500 way back in ‘78...