congrats on the new house. here is my .02 cents.
you are getting thumbs up on the denon, but the onkyo 801 would be a good choice also. i have the 701 powering m60's, 2 QS8's, and the VP 150. but my room is almost twice your size(28x26x8). i have PLENTY of sound to fill my room, and have never come close to maxing out the volume knob. i truly dont think you will be giving up anything with the 801..
not to mention, the set up,instruction manual, and remote control is much better on the onkyo products than the denon products. just my opinion based on my and others experience.
as far as speakers, as one person has mentioned, sound is a very specific thing.. it is important to buy what sounds good to YOU. try and find some speakers to audition, and decide which sound you like for yourself. and make sure you get a good sub. it is necessary for HT. dont skimp there.. you will regret it!
bigjohn
