You Have to See What Margaret Josephs’ Husband, Joe Benigno, Made for Their Backyard

It pays to have a contractor in the family. Margaret Josephs has been known to rib her husband, Joe Benigno, about how long it takes him to finish their home renovations. (See the clip above for hilarious proof.)

However, The Real Housewives of New Jersey cast member’s latest Instagram post shows her feeling “so lucky” that her husband has some very handy skills. And when you see what Joe made for Margaret, you’ll understand why he’s her mane man. 

Joe Benigno makes Margaret Josephs handmade lion heads 

In her August 8 post, Margaret shared a video of the vintage lion head she recently scored from a friend’s family estate. Margaret was so taken with the decoration that she wanted a few more just like it. And Joe made it happen. 

First, the contractor created a silicone mold of the original lion head. He then poured fiberglass into the mold, repeated it three times, and voilà! Three new lion heads were born.

Next, Joe is going to fill in the heads with any missing parts (one was missing a bit of an ear, for instance) and then paint them. Though he was set on painting them bronze, Margaret was rooting for black. And while the couple didn’t reach a decision on the color, Margaret had to give her husband some props. 

“I mean, I’m so lucky that you could make me anything,” she said in the video, as Joe revealed the final freshly made lion head. Referring to her hubby’s Instagram handle, she added, “That’s why he’s called The Real Super Joe.” 

Margaret Josephs’ Backyard Renovation

The lions will live in the backyard, which is under renovation. During a text Q&A session with Bravo fans in March, Margaret wrote, “We are doing a huge pool right now, and we’re doing a ton of landscaping!”

Meanwhile, Margaret's outdoor kitchen was done in 2021. “It was important for me to bring the inside out… I wanted it to look almost like a living room,” she told BravoTV.com at the time. “I want people to feel comfortable and sit outside. That’s really why I wanted the outdoor kitchen right outside the dining room and my kitchen.”

Margaret Josephs’ New Bathroom 

Earlier this summer, Margaret showed off another new development in her New Jersey home. In a July 19 Instagram Story, she revealed that the bathroom is “finally a hair away from being done.”

As her video proved, the marble-covered room has “beautiful slabs from Daltile,” a vanity with two sinks, and a large mirror. The space also has several brass fixtures and appliances, including the showerhead, sink faucets, mirror lighting, and mounted towel warmer. 

Although the bathroom looks stunning, it’s not totally done yet. “I’m just waiting for some handles,” Margaret said in the clip. “Look at what I have to use for a handle on my shower door right now: a sock.”