My setup and your help

Hi guys! I've been reading the forum for the past few days, got really caught up in FlyboyUSA's awesome basement theater saga. Anyway, hope you can help me out.

The space I'm dealing with is my loft. I have: a Sony 36XBR400 monster (weighs about 240 pounds), an old Polk 5.1 set up (with no sub), and an old Denon receiver (EDIT: AVR 1801).
I recently got: Denon 2312CI receiver, Klipsch Icon WF35 fronts, the WC24 center, and WS24 surrounds. I'm hoping to get either the Sony 46HX850 or 55HX850 to join the LED modern age.

Here's my problem: I don't have a great way to conceal the speaker cables. I just purchased two fifty-foot rolls of the Audioquest X-2 http://www.crutchfield.com/p_703X250W/AudioQuest-X2-Speaker-Cable-50-feet-White.html

I can't go along the floorboards as you can see why from the pics - two doorways on one side of the room and the open space from the stairs on the other. I'm not handy beyond painting so I would have to pay someone to run the cables in the walls. I had an electrician come and he quoted me $600 to do the cable run for the two rear speakers alone, which seems like way more money than it's worth.

What I'm thinking: mount the Icons (those are the Polks currently up and not connected to anything): one to the right of the bathroom door above the bookcase, the other same spot opposite side of the room, and run the speaker wire along where the wall meets the ceiling. I guess my question, what do you think of this idea, and what's the best size nail (staple) to use?

Thanks in advance. I know how often people ask about speaker wire runs from perusing the forum. And go easy on the new guy, wouldja? :P

(edited to add 3rd pic of room and a closeup of where I'm talking about to mount the rears. Also: please excuse the mess :P)





Edited by raskyred - 12/5/12 at 10:01am

So I tacked up the speaker wire using RCA clips. Yeah....about as ugly as it can be. I was planning to paint them but I really want to give Wiremold a try. Here's my question: looking at their products on Amazon, Lowes etc there are a bunch of different kits and pieces....I need about 75 feet to run the two cables on two walls and around corners, (pics included), 10 elbow pieces and 3 T pieces. Can anyone recommend the best kits to buy, or what would make this a little easier? I intend to use either nails or screws instead of the adhesive backing, what size / kind should I use?

edit: also, debating between the Sony 55HX850 or the Panasonic 55ST50

Thanks
Right speaker wall run:







Left speaker wall run (the cable almost blends into the ceiling)




Edited by raskyred - 12/5/12 at 10:02am

I bought (5) kits of Wiremold C210. I don't want to use the adhesive backing, so I'm planning on drilling holes every 2 feet, painting the color of the wall and the ceiling, and using either nails or screws to mount them to the walls. Anyone have experience using screws / nails instead of the adhesive backing, and can recommend the right size screw/nail?

It's so quiet in here

Thanks. Picked up some drywall screws from Lowes. Plan is to measure, label each piece, cut (what I predict will be the hardest part), drill holes, then paint. I wish it was a bit more pliable to make driving the screws easier. Course once everything's painted, I can't forget which piece goes where.

It was easy like you said. Weirdly enough, I noticed that while using the hacksaw to cut through the channels, there was a smell like a skunk for a brief few seconds. I ended up using (4) full kits of the Wiremold, minus some of the corner pieces, so I have a spare in case I mount the TV.

Anyway, it took a while to paint everything thoroughly, measure, pre-drill the holes and connect everything, all while battling a nasty cold, but it was worth it: (sorry, all pics taken with my iPhone, I'm not much of a photog)


Left speaker run:




Right speaker run:




My first sub!


Panasonic 50GT50 - amazing screen



Now to battle the cables and tidy everything up.