speaker recommendations for a 12 x 12 room?

You should check out Robert Harley's review of the Sunfire CRM-2 ribbon speakers with SubRosa subwoofer in Issue 183 (August 2008) of the The Absolue Sound. The ribbons are small and not as sensitive to boundry effects as a regular cone driver speaker. This would solve some of the problem and the subwoofer would allow placement of it in the best sounding location possibly solving the rest of the problem. If you can believe what Robert says this is one nice sounding system. I can't confirm it though since I haven't had a chance to search out a dealer with these.

Monitor speakers will work best, plus a separate sub that is front firing. The monitor's must be front ported. Look at some models in the ProAc line that have that feature.

Here's another vote for monitor (by design, not necessarily by name or model) speakers intended for near field listening. This should help overcome your limited maximum boundary dimension. You have several options from Spendor, Harbeth, ProAc, Totem, etc. My first choice would be to look for one of the LS3/5a designs (used). For a room this size, I would not be concerned with adding a subwoofer -- you could easily create more problems than you solve.

Another option to Duke's suggestion would be to set up your listening triangle across one corner of the room so the two speakers stand in front of adjacent walls. This may help reduce standing waves and increase benefits from reduced sidewall reflections, plus by maintaining symmetry you may improve imaging - if that is important to you.

In any case, experimentation should help find your best answer among the suggestions posted here.

Oops, I meant "my narrow and deep" room.

My room is the same size as yours .
Along the same lines as Duke stated I have my positioning setup as Pryso suggests , the listening position is diagonally opposite from the speaker position . Sort of kitty corner or opposing corners . My ears are about 6 ft. from the front of the speakers . The speakers are about 6 ft. apart as well . While my soundstage is not the best that I have heard the rest of the factors are good . No base problems or dullness . I do have some room treatments in the corners and at the ceiling junctions as suggested by 8th Nerve .

Another thing that has not been addressed here is the fact that you will be in a nearfield listening situation . This will require some thought in equipment selection as well .
You will need a fairly resolving system that does well at low sound levels .

I find my Reference 3a Di Capo i's to work quite nicely for this situation with a tube amplifier .

Good luck .