Choosing the right noun means exploring the layers of a word. First, it must precisely render an image: pick bungalow if you’re describing a one-story house with a low-pitched roof. Second, your noun must be evocative, its connotations conjuring a realm of emotion or sensation: stay with bungalow (or perhaps choose cottage) if you’re capturing coziness, a homey atmosphere. Finally, your noun must be apt—its associations, its links to other words and ideas, must complement your meaning. Are the occupants a bunch of frat boys? Then crash pad might work better.
