suggestions please

No offence to Paradigm, but they'll sound defective next to a pair of Vandersteen Model 2's. If you can't go $2000 new, you should be able to get a very good used pair. You can even go with a Sig 1. Your current amp will work OK. Eventually, you may want to get something a little more powerful. Your room size is fine. I've had the 1's and 2's in a room the exact same size. The ceiling was 10' but not vaulted.

"Paradigms are generally easy to drive but can sound VERY bright in hard rooms,just as Vandersteens are voiced warm so in soft rooms usually sound veiled & fat."

Right about the Paradigm, wrong about the Vandersteen. The only way you can come up with that description of the Vandersteen's is if you either really mess up when you do the equipment matching and setup, read old magazine reviews (the reviewers usually screw up, as well) or just repeat common opinions that people generally hold to be true because of the first 2 reasons I just mentioned. I guess you could also prefer, or be used to listening to really bright equipment as well.

Actually, its far easier to have a situation where Vandersteen's can sound bright or harsh. Setup is everything with them.