Bookshelf Speakers for Large Room

Thanks for the clarification Jackd 👍

The Yamaha NS 5000 are called bookshelf speakers. However, even though they are large they have a piano grand finish (think Yamaha pianos) which you wife may appreciate. The sound is reference caliber.

Your room would be perfect for these speakers.

A couple of other ways to go would be to show you wife the Vivid Giya speaker line or the KEF Blade (my fav). They do not look like traditional box speakers and the Vivid can be placed closer to a wall than most. These 2 are phenomenal speakers to my ears.

Look at Joseph audio Pulsars.

http://www.josephaudio.com/pulsar

Looked at your picture.  

This is going to be radically limiting.  Port bungs will solve the issue of rear ported speakers pushing air out the back and bass muddiness but won't solve the problem of getting proper imaging.  If you are going to spend >$10K on a pair of speakers, I would want to make sure the image comes together.  

Those Sonus Fabers might be your best bet but i would look to be able to return them if you don't like them.  I have not spent $16K but I spend $7k on a pair of standmounts that just didn't work in my space.  

Marten's Parker Duo has a rear passive radiator, the Duke2 is ported and the Vimberg has a rear passive radiator.  Mine (Verdant) are rear ported and won't work.  Raidho is front ported but needs distance from the back wall for soundstage to come together.  Wilson Benesch Geometry require the stands to work right as they are ported out the bottom.    

Maybe the Magico A1 as an alternative?  This is an interesting challenge.  

D'Agastino would be brilliant with those Sonus Fabers.  If and when Chord comes out with a new Ultima Integrated, I think it would also be a fine choice at a less brutal price point.