I have read that staining brick is a superior choice to painting it because staining still allows the brick to "breath", whereas paint can trap moisture. Conversely, I have also read that many homeowners have gone over 25 years before having to repaint brick. We will have this professionally done, but thought we should start out somewhat informed. In terms of humidity, we live in the foothills of Colorado. (I recognize that there is an entire camp out there who is firm on never painting or staining brick.) We are looking to take a red brick ranch to a creamy grey color - a little lighter color than our pebble grey windows. In addition to stain vs. brick, any recommendations on type/brand of stain would be appreciated.