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I know they make CFL's in all sorts of "shades" and one that is supposed to mimic the glow of an incandescant. Perhaps try that before attempting any rewiring? I always use those typeof CFLs and have never had a problem.

i would first try to change the cfl bulb before attempting to rewire (not ever sure if it's possible) the fixture. there are cfl bulbs out there already that don't flicker and don't give off such harsh lighting. it may be easier than you think to solve your problem. i buy the n:vision from home depot and they are available in bright white and soft white. i get the soft white and am pleased with the light they produce.

Do a web search for color corrected compact fluorescents. You will want something with a higher CRI.

If the lamp has the ballast included then there is no ballast to pull out of the fixture. Just match the base/lamp holder to an incandescent lamp that you want to use.

If the fixture has a ballast then you don't want to use that with an incandescent lamp. Just rip that out and buy a lamp holder from Home Depot for the lamp that you want to use..

Check this out for more info on CFLs.
http://www.osram.com/osram_com/Lighting_Design/index.html

p.s. incandescent lamps do not have a ballast. They wire directly to your home voltage of 120v.

Sounds like you have the wrong bulb - if the fixture has a ballast, it's not made for use w/ a CFL bulb...
...and if it doesnt' have a ballast, it would take an incandescent bulb.

Yes, no-ballast is fine for incadescent. Only flourescents need a ballast. Your fixture should take a new bulb no problem.

Vertigo, you say n:vision looks like incadescent? I'm ready to switch as soon as the technology catches up.

GET A DIMMER. CFLs are not the only option here even though the whole world thinks they're sent directly from God. Dimmers are especially good in bathrooms. We have ours set to 40% and it's still bright enough for anything you need to do in the bathroom. Screw CFLs and go with a dimmer.

Just take the fluorscent bulbs in the light out and take them to a large lighting store or a giant hardware store and have them match the bulb size with a bulb that has a different light color. Fluroscent comes in high white to warm yellow. I agree the high sterile white is hideous for indoor use. You are looking for bulbs at around 2700 K.
don

If you do switch it out yourself, be careful! CFLs are very toxic if broken as they contain mercury. I'm concerned about the toxicity from improper disposal of CFLs in general. From an article in the San Francisco Chronicle:

If a CFL breaks

-- Open all doors and windows to ventilate the area for at least 15 minutes.
-- Turn off your air conditioner/fan/heater so as not to circulate any mercury vapor.
-- Young children and pregnant women should leave the area during cleanup.
-- Wear protective equipment, such as a dust mask and gloves, to keep bulb dust and glass from being inhaled or contacting your skin.
-- Carefully remove the larger pieces and place them in a secure closed container.
-- Next, begin collecting the smaller pieces and dust. It is recommended that you use two stiff pieces of paper such as index cards or one of the many commercial mercury spill kits available.
-- Put all material into a sealed container. Pat the area with the sticky side of duct, packing or masking tape. Wipe the area with a damp cloth.
-- Put all waste and materials used to clean up the bulb in a secure closed container and label it "Universal Waste - broken lamp."
-- Take the container for recycling to the household hazardous waste facility nearest you.
-- If the bulb breaks on carpet, the state of Maine's report (links.sfgate.com/ZCXI) suggests removing the area of carpet that has been contaminated as a precaution. If this is not feasible, it is recommended that you ventilate the area for several hours as well as during the process of vacuuming because vacuuming can circulate the vapor. If you vacuum, make sure to dispose of the bag along with the broken CFL at your local hazardous waste facility. You should also ventilate the room during the next few times you vacuum the area.
Source: California Department of Toxic Substances Control

Put it on eBay/Craiglist and start all over again.

I too suggest a dimmer for the fixture. That way no matter what time of day you can always get the light you are looking for in your bathroom.

Sell it on eBay or Craigslist and buy the unit you do want.

Couple of notes on cfls and dimmers. I have yet to find a good cfl dimmer bulb - if you put cfls in a dimmer fixture you will get flashes of light when it's on the lower setting, not dimmer light. The owner of the best lightbulb store I've ever seen (http://sunlanlighting.com/) says she's never found a good dimmable cfl that won't break, so she doesn't stock them. And another tip is to leave the bulb on for several hours the first time you turn it on. This avoids the annoying fade in that some cfls are prone to, coming on dim and then "warming up". Hope this helps!

Home depot has different finishes.
"soft white" gives more like a traditional light effect.

NEVER BUY ANYTHING FROM LIGHTING BY GREGORY!!!! I have been involved in a dispute with them since September and they totally used me to get a refund from the vendor and then did not pass it on to me as they promised they would. These people are the scum of the earth.

Ok, as a lighting designer let me just clarify something. What you don't like about the fluorescent is its color not the fact that it is fluorscent. A typical incandescent bulb has a color temperature of 3000K. A typical fluorescent has a color temperature of 4100K. Its the color temperature that is giving you the cool hospital feel rather than the warmer feel. Now you can buy fluorescent bulbs from GE, such as their BIAX line in temperatures all the way down to 2700K (about the color of candle-light). You should be able to simply buy a new lamp, no need to reballast the fixture. The cost of reballasting is about $50.00 in parts plus it should be done by a qualified electrician so you probably should go with buying a new bulb first. Try it out at a lower color temperature near 3000K.

Do dimmers actually save energy consumption, or do they just redirect the unused part of the current as heat?

Oh and for those of you concerned about CRI (color rendering index) the GE Biax line has CRI of 82 so pretty good though not the best.

Do dimmers save energy, yes, although not linearly. So dimming 10% doesn't give 10% energy savings. Dimmers do not simply "absorb" power as some people may think. They actually shut off power for a fraction of a second when you dim the lights, but your eyes cannot detect this.

For incandescent bulbs: dimming 0.1 saves 0.1 lasts 2 times longer

dimming 0.25 saves 0.2 lasts 4 times longer

dimming 0.5 saves 0.4 lasts 20 times longer

dimming 0.75 saves 0.6 lasts > 20 times longer

Fluorescent lights are different though. Dimming them will make them lasts for a shorter amount of time unless the fixture has a rapid start ballast. Basically all that switching on and off to dim and save energy makes them wear out more quickly unless they are designed to do this.

Also be aware that halogen lights require special dimmers.

I wouldn't put an incandescent in - they produce a lot of heat which a flourescent fixture wouldn't necessarily be designed to handle. Could cause a fire hazzard or discolor any plastic in the fixture...

good point tommy.

What about a color correction filter? They sell them online, and at theatrical supply stores. Rosco has quite a few options for fluorescent lighting:

http://www.rosco.com

Cut what you need, shape it to the fixture, and sell the rest on Craigslist.