How to Style a Spooky Seaside Doorway

In this post, I’m sharing fun ways to decorate your front entrance for Halloween using mermaid, fish and pirate skeletons, plus some other creepy coastal decorations.

If you love Halloween but also live by the beach, you might be wondering how to celebrate spooky season without going full haunted-house-in-the-woods. Can a front door still look festive when your view is palm trees, sand, and salty air? The answer is a resounding yes — and I’m about to show you how! Think under-the-sea meets haunted shipwreck: mermaid skeletons, eerie seaweed, dark coral, and pirate vibes galore. My goal was to transform our small seaside entry into something that felt festive, moody, and just a little mysterious — like a ghost ship that washed ashore on a moonlit night.

So grab your broom (or anchor) and follow along if you dare! 

Styled 2 Ways: Halloween Outdoor Decor

If you’re visiting my blog from MaryJo’s Masterpieces of My Life, I’m so glad you’re here! MaryJo has creative ways to style just about anything. Be sure to check out her awesome Halloween ideas here. I’m super excited to be collaborating once a month with her and sharing it all with you!

Creepy Potted Plants

Every great Halloween doorway starts with a base — and for me, that’s always plants. Living in Southern California has taught me one very important lesson: succulents reign supreme. They’re hardy, sculptural, and sun-loving, which makes them perfect for decorating an entryway that gets as much sunshine as ours does.

Choosing the Right Base Plants

For this spooky-seaside look, I wanted my potted plants to mimic the feel of an underwater scene — coral reefs, seaweed forests, and eerie ocean depths. I started by choosing Fire Sticks (Euphorbia tirucalli), one of my favorite succulents. With their branching, coral-like shape and orange-red tips, they instantly give off that “living coral” effect, especially as the sun hits them.

In front of those, I planted Sedum “Gold Dust”, a trailing variety that fills in beautifully and has a bright, almost glowing green color. It reminds me of seaweed drifting just under the surface.

To keep things Halloween-appropriate, I tucked in a few artificial black plastic plants from Michaels. They have a sparkly, inky finish that adds depth and contrast against the lighter greens. I also inserted a few tall faux willow twigs (from Amazon) for a ghostly vertical element — almost like eerie kelp reaching up from the deep.

Curly Willow Branches Decorative Dried Artificial Twigs

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Small Manzanita Branches

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And because I can never resist a little coastal touch, I filled in the empty spaces with shells and bits of coral from my personal collection. These natural textures keep the look balanced and reinforce the seaside theme — even when surrounded by spooky skeletons.

Adding the Spooky Details

Now for the fun part: the creatures!
I discovered the most amazing mermaid and fish skeletons on Amazon, and they instantly became the stars of the display. The mermaid skeleton is equal parts creepy and whimsical, and the fish bones add that perfect “what lurks beneath” vibe.

20” Mermaid Skeletons(4)

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38 Inches Halloween Mermaid Skeleton

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In another planter, I placed a deep-sea angler fish — complete with a light-up lure — hiding among the greenery. I surrounded him with a few other plastic “fish skeletons” so it looks like a whole haunted reef scene. Finally, I tucked in some black twisty branches to make the whole setup feel tangled and shadowy, like the remains of a ghostly shipwreck.

Fish Skeleton Decor

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Skeleton Lantern Fish with LED Eye

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Deep Sea Lanterns

I had a pair of large black lanterns that I usually fill with candles for summer evenings. For Halloween, I decided to transform them into miniature haunted aquariums. The best part? You can make these with supplies you might already have.

To start, I filled the bottom of each lantern with a layer of white gravel. This gives the illusion of sand — like the bottom of the ocean — and helps reflect the candlelight beautifully once everything is assembled.

Set of 2 Black Decorative Lanterns 17.5″ &13.5″

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White Natural Decorative Gravel

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Creating the Spooky Scenes

In the taller lantern, I placed a battery-operated black candle right in the center, then surrounded it with more of the black plastic “seaweed” and a mini mermaid skeleton. The combination of flickering light and shadow makes her look like she’s swimming through dark water.

4″ x 12″ Flameless LED Remote Candles

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Dark black/green faux fern

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For the smaller lantern, I chose a fish skeleton as the focal point and tucked it among coral pieces and more black plants.
At night, these little scenes come alive. The light flickers through the gravel, the coral glows softly, and the whole effect is like looking into a haunted aquarium. It’s subtle, creative, and fits perfectly with the spooky-seaside theme.

I love these scary little scenes!

Beware…Pirates Ahead!

You can’t have a seaside Halloween without pirates! As someone who has seen Pirates of the Caribbean more times than I care to admit, I knew I had to weave in some pirate energy — but make it chic, coastal, and still family-friendly.Creating a Haunted Shipwreck EntranceI started by draping black cheesecloth fabric around the doorway. It’s lightweight, inexpensive, and easy to work with. When layered, it looks like the tattered sails of a ghost ship. You can find this material at most craft stores around Halloween — grab a few extra yards because it also looks great draped over planters or railings.

5Pcs Halloween Creepy Cloth Black 30×72inch

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To reinforce the nautical vibe, I hung a thick rope above the doorway, loosely draped like rigging from a ship’s mast. You can find these decorative ropes at craft stores or even use an old dock line for authenticity.

When everything came together, our small San Diego entryway looked like the set of a spooky coastal fairytale. The Fire Sticks glowed red against the black lanterns, the mermaid skeleton swayed gently in the breeze, and the soft amber lighting made the whole scene shimmer like a haunted reef.

It’s festive but still sophisticated — exactly what I aim for in every seasonal project. And the best part? Most of these decorations can be repurposed for other holidays or left out through fall by simply removing the overtly “Halloween” pieces.

Decorating for Halloween at the beach might seem like a contradiction, but it’s actually the perfect creative opportunity. The coastal setting gives you textures and tones that feel organic, yet when mixed with darker elements, they create a look that’s totally unique.

From succulents that mimic coral to lanterns that glow like the ocean at night, your doorway can tell its own spooky seaside story — no haunted mansion required.

So whether you live steps from the sand or just dream of ocean breezes, try giving your Halloween decor a coastal twist this year. Who knows? You might even start a new seaside tradition.

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hope you found inspiration for your own Halloween Under-the-Sea theme! I’d love to hear your ideas — do you decorate with a coastal vibe, too? Drop a comment below and share your favorite spooky seaside touches.

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Be sure to visit MaryJo’s version of Styled 2 Ways to be inspired by her Halloween Outdoor Decor. You’ll have a scary good time!

You can also find MaryJo on Pinterest | Instagram | Facebook & @masterpiecesofmylife.com.

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