In San Francisco, when an old Victorian starts looking a little pale, Dr. Color makes a house call.

But this physician doesn't prescribe pills. He prescribes plum, teal, and the occasional dash of real gold. 

Bob Buckter — better known as Dr. Color — said there is a reason he reaches for 24-karat gold. Properly applied, it can last 25 to 30 years, far longer than most paint jobs.

"It's important to get it right because I want my clients to be tickled to death for years," he said. 

San Francisco is known for its colorful Victorians, and few people have shaped that signature look more than Buckter. Over a 56-year career, he's completed roughly 18,000 projects in the city alone, becoming one of the Bay Area's most sought-after color consultants. His influence is everywhere, even if most passersby don't realize they're looking at one of his prescriptions.

His latest patient is a 1870s Victorian owned by Sue Pearce, who wanted her home to feel timeless. 

"You want to have the colors relate to each other in that classic way. You know, when you see these beautiful Victorians around town? You want your house to look like that," she said.

Buckter guided her toward a palette where the colors relate to one another in a classic way, the kind that instantly reads as San Francisco.

After decades of neglect, many Victorians found new life during the colorist movement of the 1960s. Buckter quickly became one of its most visible figures, even choosing the palette for two of the city's most iconic Victorians, the painted ladies.

Author Ben Zotto, who wrote the book on Buckter, said his impact on San Francisco's landscape is inestimable.

"Bob's work infuses so much of what we think of when we think of San Francisco," he said.

A consultation with Dr. Color can cost up to $1,200, but homeowners consider it preventative care for structures that define San Francisco's identity.

As for Buckter, he has no plans to retire anytime soon, "When I'm dead," he laughed.