Hearthstone heritage/homestead owners fireplace install placement?

First, sorry for all the new guy questions,but I am having thick head syndrome trying to layout my hearth.
Okay wife is on board with a wood stove in her living room,but she does not want a massive hearth.

The stove would sit on existing non combustible hearth that is 19 inches deep which seems fine for the homestead.

I am thinking the body of the stove on hearth,the rear end in the fireplace.

Question 1- can the stove sit flush with the opening,or do I need some clearance from it(the present opening is wider than stove),is the surround needed to place the stove this close.

Question 2- If the above is fine then can I just use the proper r-value hearth extension pad to achieve the 16 inches in front-tryin not to have permanent raised area out into living space(this makes wife happy)

I should have mentioned that existing heart after stone/tile will be about 2 inches above floor.

Question 3- Can you tell me what you folks have done and how it's worked for you?

If i were to go with heritage I would need to extend hearth a little and that's ok but with either I want to avoid a permanent raised area sticking out into the room.

Final ( for now) question we really like the looks of either heritage or homestead and I am figuring it won't be too much stove but just want your opinion.The house is 1400 sq. ft.
te room stove will be in is about 400,I will have a good shot down the hall to bath and bedrooms,and then around a door way to kitchen etc, so I figured either stove will be fine
yes?

Thanks for the previous answers on the R-value questions and your patience and knowledge as I try to get going on the stove.

Thanks for the reply
Sorry I was not clear ,my intention is to have the stove outside the opening but the back end (flue) would be inside,so that the rear of the stove body is flush with the opening and the rest is on hearth in room,I am asumming no rear clearance issues since this is brick and mortar fireplace and chimney.

With the r-value requirements of the homestead I am looking to get right on the hearth without doing a permanent raised hearth coming out into the room,so I would like the stove as close to fireplace opening/wall as possible,just unsure if it should or needs to be set off from a non-combustible surface.

Thanks for your time and patience as I try and figure out how the stove should be set,when the wife gives the ok to spend $3,000 or so well I kinda want to have a plan she will like and give the ok stamp to. Thank-you

Thanks for the picture link makes a difference when you can see what other folks have done,what a beautiful job you did on yours.

Gives me some ideas as to how to plan and test layout a few different things

Thanks for sharing-- how old is the pooch ?.reminds of mine when I was a kid

Den said:

If it's a close fit between the stove and the mouth of the fp, I would pull the stove out at least a few inches to give the heat off of the back of the stove a chance to get into the room. Heat trapped in the fp will heat up the masonry, and then the great outdoors, if the chimney is on the exterior of the house. If chimney is interior, it's not a big deal.

Click to expand...

Den
I will have 3.5-4 inches exposed at top of stove if it is flush with opening as well as 4+ inches on each side,or maybe all moot anyway as I am considering the surroud for the stove,still debating that.

I figured that the stove is a little bigger than i need for my area so maybe if I leave it open not that big a deal?.How about a damper block off plate if I go with a flush mount with the stove,keep the heat from going up(it is an exterior chimney),esp if I don't do the surround.?

thanks still figuring things out and drivin the wife crazy with all this--ahh lifes little pleasures.

Ok things are starting to become a little clearer with my layout, big thanks to all for your comments,ideas and pictures really a big help.

I had some tile hanging around and layed it all out,raised to the height I need for my r-value build up,made a mock up of the stove and it looks good. I'll play around more to try different looks.
The way it sits now the stove will be primarily out side the fireplace as this seems the best way to go,and for my set up would look better I think.

Den
Yup guess I will be doing a block off with no surround,as far as carrying in more wood and all the work that comes with it -yes I see your point and makes sense,but I'll be so pumped up for my first winter burning season probably won't get old till season 2 .hopefully looking at early this summer for an install,sooner if the money tree sprouts.

ryanm if you would'nt posting back with your block off impressions I'd appreciate it.

thanks all