One of the knocks on compact fluorescent bulbs is that the light they give if is unnatural, cold, or unflattering. This may be the case for some bulbs, but compact fluorescent bulbs have a rating for the warmth of the light. Choose the bulbs with the right ratings, and you won't have any problems with cold harsh light. What you want is a bulb with a rating in the range of 5000K - 6500K. If you get compact fluorescent bulbs with this rating, you'll get a warm natural light with a spectrum similar to that of natural sunlight.