Re: nearfield listening ...
If you can do the 5' triangle, great; but I am using 6' & it works out best measurement-wise for my 12' x 14' space.
Based on your previous more expansive room ...
If you prefer a wide soundstage (which I personally do), toe-in your speakers to where the intersection is approx. 1 ft. in front of your head.
You mentioned the loaner speakers, but what new speakers did you purchase? Type of speakers could play into orientation/ placement recommendations.
I'm not as much of a soundstage person as I am a depth and imaging person. Obviously, soundstage is nice, but it some cases, depending on how far your speakers are apart, it can be a little artificially wide, like listening to a pair of Senn HD800s. It's still very pleasing, though.
As for the speakers, I've ordered Tekton Design "Mini-Ulfberhrts," which aren't even on their website yet. I think my serial numbers will be #3&4.
So, these guys are a bit taller at 5'3", which should be fine with an 8ft ceiling. They are nominally thin at 10" and average in depth at 15". I made sure to order them with grills, otherwise they would be butt ugly due to their double tweeter array.
Of course like I said in my last post I have 60-days on them as a trial, yet since they are so new, and nobody has actually gotten them in hand yet, I have no idea how long it's going to take to get them to me. It was said 2 weeks, but I ordered them August 7th, and there's been no word.
In speaking with James from GIK this morning, he wasn't too concerned with what speakers I have in the room, as long as the problems inherent to the room or fixed.
It's amazing that I could feel that anxious over listening to speakers in my untreated room. It makes sense, however, in that my brain is trying to decode left speaker reflection on the right side of my head, and vice versa.